VVIP movements don't cause traffic jams: Police tells HC

The police today claimed in Delhi High Court that VVIP movements do not lead to huge traffic jams in the capital and refuted claims that a woman had given birth to a child inside a bus due to snarls caused by a major global summit here last year.
"It is incorrect that VVIP movements leads to huge traffic problem and public suffer for hours," Delhi Police's Traffic Department said in an affidavit before a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) filed the affidavit in response to the court's November 23 last year's notice on a petition raising the issue of grave inconvenience caused to the public due to traffic jams caused by VVIP movements on Delhi roads.

It refuted petitioner Namrata Mukum's claim that due to India-Africa summit in October 2015 attended by VVIPs from 54 African nations, a woman gave birth to a child inside a bus as she could not reach the hospital on time due to VVIP movements. "It is not correct to attribute this incident to VVIP movements," the affidavit said.
The affidavit claimed that ahead of every VVIP movement in Delhi, the police issues advisory through newspapers, radio and social media to maintain smooth flow of traffic.
Maintaining that foreign dignitaries have to be given smooth passage for traffic movement as per international protocol, the affidavit also claimed "at the same time, full care was taken that general public was put to least inconvenience. Whenever, there were traffic restriction adequate diversion to alternatives routes were provided."

The police officer also said that "keeping in view the terrorist threats/inputs from various intelligence agencies, it was utmost necessary to segregate the (foreign) delegates movement from the general traffic movement".

"The visiting heads of states and other dignitaries need facilitation of safe and smooth passage for movement from place of stay to place of function, as per the international protocol," he said.
Opposing the contents of the traffic police affidavit, the petitioner sought time to file her rejoinder by March 16.
The plea by Mukum, a lawyer, has sought that "corrective steps" be taken by the authorities "as the traffic situation in Delhi is getting worse because of VIP movements".