Delhi Metro services will be partially curtailed on Saturday, 26 January, for Republic Day celebrations and traffic on some roads will be diverted for safety purposes.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced on its Twitter handle that some entry/exit gates at metro stations will remain closed at specific hours on Friday, 25 January, and the day after.
Parking facilities, too, won’t be available from 6 am on Friday till 2 pm, Saturday.
Patel Chowk and Lok Kalyan Marg metro stations will be closed from 8:45 am to 12 pm on Saturday, and Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan metro stations will be shut from 6 am to 12 pm on Republic Day.
The following other stations will be affected from 6 am to 12 pm on Saturday:
- ITO – Gates 3, 4 and 6
- Delhi Gate – Gates 1, 4 and 5.
- Lal Quila – Gate 4
- Jama Masjid – Gate 3 and 4
The Republic Day parade will start from 9:50 am from Vijay Chowk to the Red Fort grounds, traffic police told PTI on Tuesday, 22 January. The function will be held at India Gate in central Delhi.
The parade will also pass through Rajpath, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar (BSZ) Marg and the Netajji Subash Marg.
Traffic Restrictions
In order to facilitate smooth passage of the parade, movement of traffic on certain roads leading to the route of the parade will be restricted.
Delhi Police has advised commuters to plan their journey in advance and avoid the parade route. Here are the restrictions that have been issued:
- No traffic on Rajpath from Vijay Chowk to India Gate from 6 pm on 25 January till the parade is over.
- No cross traffic on Rajpath from 11 pm on 25 January at Rafi Marg, Janpath, Man Singh Road till the parade is over.
- ‘C’-Hexagon-India Gate will be closed for traffic from 2 am on 26 January till the parade crosses Tilak Marg.
- From 10 am on 26 January, traffic on Tilak Marg, BSZ Marg and Subhash Marg will not be allowed on both directions. Cross traffic will only be allowed depending upon the movement of the parade.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Alok Kumar told PTI that although there are no restrictions for people from North Delhi going towards the New Delhi Railway Station or the Old Delhi Railway Station, it is advised that they plan their journey in advance and take sufficient extra time to reach their destination.
Activities such as flying sub-conventional aerial platforms like para-gliders, para-motors, hang-gliders, UAVs, UASs, microlight aircraft, remotely-piloted aircraft, hot air balloons, small size powered aircraft, quadcopters or para-jumping from aircraft are prohibited over the jurisdiction of the National Capital Territory of Delhi from 9 January to 9 February.
Dense Fog on Republic Day: IMD
The India Meteorological Department has predicted dense to very dense fog at isolated places during the morning hours of 25 and 26 January.
According to its forecast, the temperature is expected to fall gradually by 3-4 degree Celsius over northwest India adjoining central India.
(With inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)