Traffic snarls in Delhi as Congress protests Sonia Gandhi's ED questioning

NEW DELHI: The traffic in central Delhi had been on snail-pace on Thursday as Delhi traffic police restricted several routes, anticipating massive protests over the questioning of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged National Herald money-laundering case. For swift vehicular movement, the traffic police issued advisories for the commuters.

The traffic police informed commuters to avoid Gol Methi junction, Tughlak Road Junction, Claridges Junction, Q-point Junction, Sunehri Masjid Junction, Maulana Azad Road Junction, Motilal Nehru Marg, Akbar Road, Janpath and Man Singh Road Junction between 9 am to 2 pm.

In addition, the movement of buses will be restricted in New Delhi beyond Gol Dak Khana Junction, Patel Chowk, Windsor Place, Teen Murti Chowk, and Prithviraj Road. The Delhi traffic police officials later diverted many routes after the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) announced the Abhinandan Yatra at 5.30 pm for celebrating the victory of BJP presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.

The traffic police advised avoiding Pandit Pant Marg, Gol Dak Khana, Ashoka Road, Patel Chowk, Sansad Marg and Rafi Marg from 5 pm onwards. Deputy Commissioner of Police Traffic (New Delhi ) Aalap Patel said, “We were already prepared for the Thursday. I disseminated all the information through social media platforms and print media so that commuters will plan their travel in advance.” he further added that other than traffic police, other security personnel were also deployed in New Delhi for running vehicular movement smoothly.

The Delhi police said that Section144 has already been imposed in the New Delhi area as a security arrangement for the ongoing Parliament session. Police said that additional police force was deployed in the area as a part of “special arrangements” for the protest by agitated Congress workers.

“At about 11 am, a large number of AICC workers started gathering at various locations i.e. RML Hospital, Akbar Road, Maulana Azad Road, Man Singh Road, Tolstoy Marg, etc. for the protest,” said Sagar Preet Hooda, IPS Special Commissioner of Police, L & O Division, Zone-II, Delhi.