Long queues of cars, buses and trucks brought traffic to a crawl along Delhi’s borders with Gurugram and Sonipat on Sunday as vehicle pollution checks and the movement of INDIA bloc supporters towards Ramlila Maidan caused major congestion.
The traffic snarls left commuters facing lengthy delays, with airport-bound passengers worried about missing flights. Meanwhile, Congress workers travelling to the Opposition rally faced confrontations with police at several border points before some groups continued their journey towards the capital on foot.
The congestion coincided with the implementation of Delhi’s restrictions on older vehicles registered outside the city. Congress workers alleged that the pollution-related checks were being used to prevent them from attending the INDIA bloc rally.
LONG TRAFFIC QUEUES ON DELHI-GURUGRAM HIGHWAY
On the Delhi-Gurugram stretch of National Highway 48 (NH-48), traffic queues extended for approximately 3–4 kilometres as police personnel manually checked vehicles entering the national capital.
Commuters reported delays of around 50–60 minutes, creating difficulties for passengers travelling towards the airport.
At the highway barricades, Congress workers entered into heated arguments with police personnel, alleging that buses, tractors and tankers had been deliberately positioned to obstruct their movement towards Ramlila Maidan.
Following the confrontation, hundreds of workers reportedly removed barricades and began marching towards Delhi on foot while carrying party flags. Police personnel were deployed at the Sirhaul border as the procession moved towards the capital.
Other commuters also expressed frustration over the lack of advance information about the barricading arrangements and traffic diversions.
BUSES AND TRUCKS FACE DELAYS AT KUNDLI BORDER
Heavy congestion was also reported at the Kundli border, where buses and private vehicles carrying Congress supporters from Punjab and Haryana moved slowly alongside commercial trucks.
The traffic buildup affected NH-44, a major highway connecting Delhi with Sonipat and extending towards Punjab through Haryana.
Vehicles also faced delays near the KGP and KMP zero points, where traffic diversions further affected movement.
DELHI IMPLEMENTS NEW VEHICLE RESTRICTIONS
The traffic checks came as Delhi began enforcing restrictions on vehicles registered outside the national capital that comply only with BS-IV or older emission standards.
The restrictions came into effect on November 1 and are scheduled to remain in force until January 31.
However, CNG and electric vehicles, ambulances, fire tenders, police vehicles and other officially notified exempt vehicles are permitted to operate.
The restrictions form part of a wider winter pollution-control strategy announced by the Delhi government.
Additional measures include the suspension of most outdoor construction activities, increased parking charges and restrictions on physical attendance in government and private offices to 50 per cent.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the measures will remain applicable for different periods between November 1 and February 28.
OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS GATHER AT RAMLILA MAIDAN
While traffic remained disrupted at the city’s entry points, INDIA bloc supporters carrying flags and placards gathered at Ramlila Maidan for the alliance’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ protest.
The Opposition rally was organised to raise concerns over alleged electoral irregularities, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Senior Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee, travelled in an open bus from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence to Minto Road before proceeding towards the rally venue.
Delhi Police deployed more than 4,000 personnel and over 200 CCTV cameras to manage security during the gathering.
The combination of heightened security, vehicle inspections and rally-related movement created significant traffic pressure along several major routes connecting Delhi with neighbouring Haryana.