Key Chandni Chowk stretches out of bounds for motorists

NEW DELHI: Starting tomorrow, traffic movement will be regulated on the

Chandni Chowk

road from Red Fort to Fatehpuri Mosque and the surrounding areas for the next month. In an order on Wednesday, Delhi government’s transport department said that no motor vehicle would be allowed for 12 hours on the road to Chandni Chowk Road from Red Fort and on the roads leading to Chandni Chowk, barring a few stretches like Shanti Desai Marg, Rai Kedarnath Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg and Chawri Bazar road.

With traffic restricted from 9am to 9pm on all days, the road-owning agencies have been advised to put up signboards to caution motorists about the new restrictions.

Apart from this, Wednesday’s order also restricts traffic from moving on the north side of the main Chandni Chowk road between 9am and 9pm, However, these restrictions shall not apply to a few roads such HC Sen Marg up to Jubilee Cinema cut (opposite Gandhi Maidan Parking), Rai Kedarnath Marg towards main Chandni Chowk road up to T-point on Rai Kedarnath Marg, Kachha Bagh Road, including Chandni Chowk metro station and Ramjas Senior Secondary School No.3, Shanti Desai Marg towards main Chandni Chowk road up to T-point on Shanti Desai Marg and the road leading to Bagh Diwar Park up to main Chandni Chowk road.

Likewise, there are restrictions on the south side of the Chandni Chowk road. No cars will be allowed between 9pm and 9am expect on Netaji Subhash Marg, the Jama Masjid road up to Chawri Bazar road crossing, Chawri Bazar road up to Hauz Qazi Chowk, Lal Kuan Road up to T-point on Katra Bariyan road and Katra Bariyan road up to Fatehpuri Mosque T-point.

However, these restrictions will not be applicable to emergency vehicles such as fire tenders, ambulances, hearses and vehicles ferrying pregnant women or patients for medical treatment. Enforcement vehicles of

North Delhi Municipal Corporation

and Delhi Police and the maintenance vehicles of the civic body, BSES Yamuna Power Ltd.,

Public Works Department

, CPWD, Delhi Jal Board,

Indraprastha Gas Ltd.

and ATM service vans will also be allowed.

The traffic restrictions come in the face of resistance to the plan. On November 11 last year, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) had written to Delhi High Court about Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib being located in the heart of Chandni Chowk. The letter claimed that Delhi Police had restricted the movement of the vehicles of pilgrims to the iconic gurdwara by declaring the area as a car-free zone. Claiming that this amounted to restricting the pilgrims from offering prayers at the Sisganj Gurdwara, DSGMC had sought impleadment.

However, the court declined the request and dismissed the case, stating that if as a matter of policy, the authorities had decided to declare the area a car-free zone, then the same should have to apply across the board to all concerned, including pilgrims and visitors to the Gurdwara Sahib, and no exception could be made in that regard.


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