Delhi-NCR reels under massive traffic snarls ahead of Diwali weekend

Delhi witnessed massive traffic jams on Wednesday

As the Diwali weekend kicks off, Delhi-NCR witnessed massive traffic congestion across major roads and intersections on Friday evening. Areas including Sikandra Road, Bhikaji Cama Place, Moolchand Flyover, ITO, Moti Bagh and the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway were heavily jammed, with vehicles inching forward for long stretches.

The festive rush and last-minute shopping crowds at popular markets such as Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh, and Lajpat Nagar have left roads choked in multiple directions. Commuters reported long delays, as traffic continued to build up throughout on Friday.

Visuals that surfaced from the national capital from several areas showed endless queues of vehicles at key chokepoints like Moolchand Flyover and ITO, underscoring the intensity of the gridlock that has gripped the city.

Social media was flooded with posts from exasperated commuters. One user wrote on X: “This Diwali, Delhi shines brightest from the endless trail of car headlights. The real Diwali spirit? Stuck in traffic, glowing under tail lights for hours.”

“Pathetic traffic management since last couple of days around Chankyapuri, Shanti Path, San Martin Marg....Reminds me of Bangalore days,” lamented another user.

According to Google Maps, a 12–13 km drive in parts of Delhi-NCR was taking well over an hour, with several arterial roads marked in red — a clear indicator of severe congestion.

Amid the outrage, on Thursday, the Delhi Police stepped up its efforts to control the situation. Following a rise in complaints, the department cancelled all leaves for traffic personnel and increased ground deployment to manage the rush.

“Personnel on motorcycles have been deployed and leaves have been cancelled. We are fully prepared to manage the rush and ensure smoother movement in the coming days,” PTI quoted Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ajay Chaudhary as saying.

Officials said that additional monitoring units and motorcycle patrols have been deployed at major intersections and choke points across the city to help ease congestion ahead of the weekend and Diwali festivities.