New Delhi: Nearly 70,000 visitors, about 4,000-5,000 pick-and-drop trips, and around 3,000 vehicles parked till 4 pm — preliminary inputs from insiders and sources on the ground summed up Day 2 of AI summit. With such numbers, slow-moving traffic around Bharat Mandapam on Tuesday was hardly a surprise.With the event now open to the public, the roads around the venue recorded a surge in mixed traffic comprising visitors in their vehicles, cabs and buses; and security convoys; apart from students and their parents heading to Board exam centres and regular commuters to office.
People said travelling short distances took much longer than usual. Mathura Road, Bhairon Marg, Purana Quila Road and Pragati Maidan tunnel were among the most congested. Those heading to ITO faced bumper-to-bumper traffic through much of the afternoon, with stretches that are usually covered under 10 minutes taking 25 to 30 minutes.Frustration spilled onto social media. A user posted that two ambulances were stuck inside Pragati Maidan tunnel. Another tagged Union minister Nitin Gadkari, claiming snarls were a daily sight inside the tunnel and sought his intervention to ease congestion on the stretch between the tunnel and Purana Quila Road.People travelling to Supreme Court and Delhi High Court reported being stuck on their way. Some skipped hearings after facing severe congestion on Monday.Anuja Chaudhary, an office-goer, said Monday’s traffic had been “so chaotic” that she chose not to risk commuting on Tuesday.Beyond the areas adjacent to Bharat Mandapam, traffic build-up was reported on NH-24 and near Sarai Kale Khan ISBT. However, congestion on some outer stretches couldn’t be linked to the summit as curbs on movement were limited to specific pockets around the venue, traffic cops said.Separate curbs due to a foreign delegation visiting Akshardham around 4 pm impacted traffic near Sarai Kale Khan and the temple.Commuters can expect a similar stop-start congestion around the venue of the summit through the week, especially over the next two days when heads of states are expected to attend it. For commuters, the message is simple: If your route is near Bharat Mandapam, factor in extra time.
