Delhi Police issue advisory on road closures tomorrow; security beefed up

Several key roads will remain closed to traffic near Red Fort from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Thursday for the Independence Day full-dress rehearsal. Delhi Traffic Police has advised commuters to use alternative routes as the rehearsal is expected to affect traffic movement across central and north Delhi. Only authorised vehicles will be allowed near locations such as India Gate and stretches of Ring Road and Outer Ring Road between Nizamuddin Khatta and ISBT Kashmere Gate.

For north-south movement, commuters have been advised to take Aurobindo Marg, Safdarjung Road, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Marg, Kautilya Marg, Sardar Patel Marg, Mother Teresa Crescent, Park Street, Mandir Marg, Panchkuian Road and Rani Jhansi Road. The alternate route is through Connaught Place, Minto Road, Minto Road, Bhavbhuti Marg, Ajmeri Gate, Shradahanand Marg, Lahori Gate Chowk, Naya Street, Peeli Kothi and S.P. Mukherjee Marg.

For east-west access, public can use routes through Nizamuddin Khatta, Barapulla Road, Ashram, Ring Road and other designated corridors. The DND-NH24 (NH9)-Yudhister Setu-Signature Bridge-Wazirabad Bridge corridor will remain open for reaching Ring Road.

Goods vehicles will not be permitted between Nizamuddin Khatta and Wazirabad Bridge and Inter-state buses will also not be allowed between Maharana Pratap ISBT and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT from midnight on August 12 until 11 a.m. on August 13. The Old Iron Bridge and Geeta Colony Bridge towards Shanti Van will also remain closed.

Local buses, including Delhi Transport Corporation buses, will also not operate on Ring Road between ISBT Kashmiri Gate and the Ring Road-NH24 (NH9)/NH1 point at Nizamuddin Khatta from midnight on August 12 until 10 a.m. on August 13, and will be diverted to alternate routes.

Security stepped up

Police has stepped up security and emergency preparedness across key areas in the city. The Central district police on Tuesday issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, prohibiting kite flying and the use of other aerial objects at or around venues hosting Independence Day programmes and public gatherings. The restriction will remain in force until August 16, unless withdrawn earlier. Violations will invite legal action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

The Delhi Fire Service has deployed 13 fire vehicles and around 80 personnel near the Red Fort, and security agencies have been conducting mock drills to test their response to possible terror threats. In Shahdara, a counter-terrorism preparedness drill was conducted on Tuesday, during which a simulated call about an explosion at Gandhi Nagar Market was made to activate multiple agencies.

Additional DCP Shahdara Sikandar Singh said the exercise was conducted as part of the security arrangements for Independence Day and was intended to assess the coordination and response of various agencies.