Jagran Correspondent, Ghaziabad: To prevent traffic congestion amid the continuously rising number of Kanwariyas, particularly as devotees begin returning from Haridwar, vehicular movement on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) has been restricted since Friday morning. Only vehicles associated with the Kanwariya pilgrimage are being allowed to enter the DME.
As the number of devotees continues to increase, regular vehicular movement will also be restricted from Sunday (August 9) onwards from the Siddharth Vihar cut towards the Meerut intersection and from Chaudhary More towards Ghantaghar. Vehicles travelling on GT Road will be allowed to proceed only towards Railway Road.
Traffic on NH-9, Eastern Peripheral Expressway
Following the closure of the Delhi-Meerut Motorway, vehicles travelling from Delhi towards Meerut and beyond are being diverted through NH-9 and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE). The diversions have resulted in increased traffic pressure on both routes.
Additional police personnel have been deployed at major intersections and diversion points to regulate traffic. The carriageway from Meerut towards Delhi has already been reserved and secured exclusively for Kanwariyas.
With the footfall of devotees expected to increase further over the next two days, the traffic police are imposing restrictions in a phased manner to ensure smooth movement and prevent congestion.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Varun Kumar Singh said vehicular entry onto the Delhi-Meerut Expressway had been restricted since Friday morning, with traffic being diverted through NH-9 and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway.
He said the diversion plan would be modified depending on the volume of Kanwariyas on the roads. If required, regular vehicular movement from the Siddharth Vihar cut and Chaudhary More towards Ghantaghar would also be suspended from Sunday.
The traffic police have appealed to motorists to strictly follow the advisory and use alternative routes to avoid unnecessary delays and congestion.
Delhi-Lucknow Highway Diverted Till August 13
The Garhmukteshwar-Brajghat stretch of the Delhi-Lucknow Highway will remain diverted for the next few days, with commuters not being allowed to use the route. The highway connects Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Meerut and Hapur with districts across the Ganga, including Moradabad, Amroha and Bareilly.
To facilitate the movement of Kanwariyas, the police have diverted traffic towards the Ganga Expressway.
Vehicles travelling from Meerut will be diverted towards the Ganga Expressway from Bijauli. Vehicles travelling from Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Hapur towards Amroha, Bareilly and Moradabad will be redirected through the Sikheda interchange in Simbhaoli.
Vehicles arriving from Bulandshahr will be diverted through the Sadarpur interchange in Bahadurgarh.
The diversions will remain in place through the Shivratri and Amavasya period, when the number of pilgrims is expected to reach its peak.