Surge in vehicles leads to increase in peak traffic hours in

With a surge in number of vehicles plying in the national capital, the traffic peak hours have gone up to three hours in the last couple of years.
Close to one crore vehicles are plying on Delhi roads leading to congestion on the roads, with key stretches being worst-affected and resulting in increased peak traffic hours, senior Delhi Traffic Police officers said.
"Earlier, the peak traffic hours in morning used to be between 9 AM and 10.30 AM. But in the last couple of years, it has been observed that the morning peak hours start from 8.30 AM and continue till 11 AM.

"In the evening, the peak traffic used to be between 6.30 PM to 7.30 PM, but now traffic peak starts building up from 5 PM and goes on till 8.30 PM," said Garima Bhatnagar, joint commissioner of police (Traffic).
On certain heavily busy stretches like Rao Tula Ram Road, the peak hours extend for up to seven hours, said another Delhi Trafic official.
In south Delhi, on the stretches like Gurgaon-RR Hospital, Ashram Chowk, RTR Moti Bagh and Aurobindo Marg, congestion goes beyond 8.30 PM, the official said.
In central Delhi, the stretches where traffic congestion is observed beyond 8.30 PM include ITO crossing and Karol Bagh market area.

The other stretches that see congestion till late in the evening are Mukarba Chowk, Azad Market, Noida Link road and Akshardham Temple stretch, Peeragarhi Chowk, Dwarka Sector 1-2 crossing, Dwarka underpass and ISBT Kashmere Gate road, added the official.