india

Updated: Dec 19, 2019 16:25 IST

After facing several hours of traffic jam on Gurugram-Delhi expressway, the Delhi Police removed the barricades that were placed along the way for vehicle checking.

Heavy congestion and long traffic jams were witnessed on the Delhi-Gurugram expressway from 8 am onwards on Thursday after Delhi Police initiated strict checking and placed barricades on Gurugram-Delhi borders in order to clamp down on the movement of anti-citizenship act protesters from entering into Delhi.

According to Gurugram traffic police, Delhi Police allowed traffic on a single Lane after thoroughly checking the vehicles at Sirhaul border, Kapashera and at Aya Nagar border on Mehrauli Gurgaon road which led to heavy congestion.

People were stuck at the Sirhaul toll plaza even at 2.30 pm despite the police easing restrictions.

Six to seven kilometres long traffic jam was reported on Delhi-Gurgaon expressway. Later, the traffic spread through major arterial roads of the city.

Due to strict traffic measures, large number of cars and even two-wheelers remained struck for over four to five hours on the border between Delhi and Gurugram.

Traffic police officials said that the traffic congestion began from Sirhaul border, Dundahera border and Aya Nagar border areas from early morning. Congestion was reported around 8.15 am at Sirhaul border, around 9.15 am at Dundahera border and around 9.30 am at Aya Nagar border.

Congestion also spread in different parts of the city. Vehicle movement was impacted from Sirhual border to Jal Vayu Vihar (11 kilometers), Golf Course Extension road, Sikanderpur, Cyber Hub and MG road. Similarly, congestion was reported from Aya Nagar border to Khushboo Chowk.

Traffic police said that they were not intimated about the placement of the barricades by the Delhi police and got to know about the situation once the congestion was reported near Sirhaul border.

A large team of Delhi Police, which was deployed at Sirhaul border said that this checking will continue till evening and this was a preventive measure.

“We are checking the vehicles from the morning and asking only for identification. Most of the vehicles are being allowed to move after questioning,” said inspector Sanjeev Kumar of Delhi Police.

“We were not told about the barricading. We also don’t know till when this will continue. Our traffic police officials are trying to divert the traffic at different spots,” said an official posted in the traffic control room.

He added that since early morning the control room has received hundreds of calls from the commuters regarding the congestion.

The restriction on the movement of heavy vehicles on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway was also extended till 12.00 pm instead of 10.30 pm in order to curb the congestion.