Key stretches, which includes Outer Ring Road, Ring Road, Mathura Road (between Pragati Maidan and Badarpur border), Aurobindo Marg, Barapullah elevated road, the DND Flyway, and the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, have been choked with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Photo: X
Delhi’s Diwali chaos fuels fresh comparisons with Bengaluru's traffic jams
Major Delhi routes like Outer Ring Road choked with traffic as festive season peaks; social media users compare it to Bengaluru’s infamous snarls
Bengaluru residents, daily combatting traffic chaos on its narrow roads, can take heart. The country's capital Delhi too appears to be battling massive traffic jams ahead of the Diwali rush causing much grief and frustration among commuters.
Social media has been swamped by images of gridlocked roads and stalled vehicles in the capital caused by Diwali shoppers. However, netizens swiftly shifted focus on another key contender of India’s urban traffic travails – Bengaluru.
Social media users reacting to visuals of Delhi’s choked roads noted that critics who routinely target Bengaluru’s notorious traffic snarls were conspicuously silent.
What about Bengaluru?
“Where are all the anti-Bengaluru gang now? They’ll stay quiet about this,” one user remarked. Another quipped about Delhi traffic chaos, “It’s fine… because it’s not Bangalore, right?”.
According to X users, "Media channels will be like, ok, its not Bengaluru so we will not bat an eye on this". A third user pointed out, “It’s not Bangalore and all the elites don’t care.”
Also read: Yamuna waterlogging causes massive traffic jams in Delhi
Some even joked that the only reason Bengaluru was free of traffic this week was because most of its residents had left the city to go back home for the festive break.
While another user said that Bengaluru is not the only city that has traffic problems or drainage problems.
“The entire country has problems around this. Let's demand for repair of the broken cities but Bengaluru is not alone. Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Delhi - Every city has an issue,” said another user.
Delhi roads choked
Meanwhile, Delhi is grappling with relentless traffic congestion across major routes as the festive season picks up.
Key stretches, which includes Outer Ring Road, Ring Road, Mathura Road (between Pragati Maidan and Badarpur border), Aurobindo Marg, Barapullah elevated road, the DND Flyway, and the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, have been choked with bumper-to-bumper traffic, spilling over into adjoining cities like Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurugram, and Faridabad in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Flood of complaints
The chaos has sparked a flood of complaints on X (formerly Twitter), where frustrated commuters are sharing their ordeal. In response, Delhi Police cancelled all traffic personnel leaves on Thursday to manage the worsening situation.
One user vented, “I’ve never seen traffic like this in Delhi! Been stuck in the same spot for over 2 hours, nothing’s moving. Called 112 three-four times, but the call kept dropping and no one called back. What a mess! With the festival season ahead, this is pathetic planning by the authorities.”
Security plan for Delhi
In preparation for Diwali, Delhi has rolled out a comprehensive, multi-tiered security plan to ensure a safe and peaceful celebration for all residents, according to an official statement from the city police.
Also read: Mohandas Pai: ‘Bengaluru’s infrastructure is lagging 10-15 years behind’
Enhanced security measures have been put in place at major markets, busy public spaces, and commercial zones with high footfall. Across all districts, Delhi Police has deployed a robust force, bolstered by personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), to reinforce ground-level vigilance.
To tackle the surge in vehicular traffic during the festive rush, Delhi Traffic Police has mobilised its full manpower to streamline movement, safeguard pedestrians, and maintain overall public convenience. Regular traffic advisories are being issued, outlining route restrictions, diversions, designated parking zones, and key instructions for commuters.
Authorities have urged citizens to cooperate by following traffic regulations, adhering to official guidance, opting for public transport, and minimising the use of private vehicles to ease congestion.