Parts of Delhi witness heavy traffic as residents rush home before curfew

Unusually heavy traffic was seen at several places in the national capital post 8.30 pm on Tuesday as people scrambled to get home before the night curfew began at 10 pm.

Many who were caught off guard by the government's night curfew announcement and tried to get e-passes complained that websites of both the Delhi government and police were choked due to heavy traffic.

"I tried for several hours to get an e-pass but the sites had crashed. I started early to get home in time for the curfew but the traffic was unusually heavy today," a commuter said.

Stuck in traffic, some commuters took to Twitter to share their ordeal.

"There is massive traffic congestion at the Delhi-Meerut Expressway near Ghazipur," a commuter tweeted.

Another said there was heavy traffic at the Delhi-Ghaziabad elevated highway.

Sachin Singh, who works with a Noida-based private organisation, said, "There was heavy traffic near Ghazipur on Tuesday evening when I was returning home from office. I managed to reach my place by taking a shortcut."

In view of rising COVID-19 cases in Delhi, the Arvind Kejriwal government on Tuesday imposed a seven-hour night curfew, from 10 pm to 5 am, with immediate effect. The curfew will continue till April 30.

Those exempted from the curfew include pregnant women; patients; those travelling to and from airports, railway stations, state bus terminus on showing tickets; officials related to the functioning of offices of diplomats; and those holding any constitutional post on the production of valid identity card.

Central and Delhi government officials involved in emergency services such as health and family welfare and all related medical establishments, police, prisons, home guards, civil defence, fire and emergency services are also exempted.

Officials of district administration, pay and accounts office, electricity, water and sanitation, public transport, disaster management and related services, NIC, NCC and municipal services, and all other essential services will also be exempted from the night curfew on the production of a valid identity card.

People travelling during curfew hours for COVID-19 vaccination will require a soft or hard copy of an e-pass which can be obtained from the website www.delhi.gov.in.