Thaindian News

New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS) The Auto Expo, dense fog and ongoing construction and repair work in Connaught Place Friday completely threw traffic out of gear in the national capital with people wasting hours in jams and snarls.
Traffic chaos was reported from Mathura Road, where the Auto Expo 2010 is being organised, Bhairon Road, Nizamuddin bridge, areas in and around Connaught Place, Moolchand hospital, Badarpur, Modi Mills, South Extension, AIIMS flyover, Lado Sarai, Ber Sarai, Mayapuri and many other parts of the city.

“There was complete chaos on Mathura Road as many vehicles were unauthorisedly parked on the road as well as the pavement. The people visiting the Auto Expo in Pragati Maidan might have parked their cars after finding no other place,” said Rajesh Malhotra, who was stuck in traffic jams for almost an hour.

“The policemen on duty were of little help,” Malhotra added.

The traffic situation was bad, particularly in the morning and after 5 p.m.

A senior Delhi Traffic Police official said people were advised to use public transport to avoid traffic jams and inconvenience.

“We had made elaborate traffic arrangements. People should take alternative routes to avoid snarls,” the officer added.

A massive jam on the Delhi-Noida-Delhi (DND) flyover also blocked traffic from the eastern suburb. It decongested after many hours.

“The toll gate at DND was closed for some time because of heavy traffic. I was stuck for over an hour,” complained Sarthak Mishra, who commutes from Noida to Delhi for work.

The traffic officials blamed dense fog, ongoing construction work in Connaught Place, and breakdown of vehicles for the traffic jams.

“There were traffic jams due to breakdown of vehicles in many parts of the city,” said the official.

The visibility level in the city dropped to zero early Friday and remained below 50 metres till 10 a.m. The condition improved only after 1 p.m.