‘Boys And Girls, Relax’: Police Quell Lockdown Rumours in Delhi During G20 Summit | Check Details

With the G20 summit inching closer, the Delhi Police have made necessary arrangements to ensure smooth traffic movement and conduct of a two-day mega event. Appealing Delhiites to not pay heed to any rumours, police asked people not to panic as there would be no lockdown in the national capital on September 9-10 in view of the event.

Sharing a post on X (formally known as Twitter), police shared a filmy poster that reads “Boys and girls, relax! G20 summit ke time par delhi mein lockdown nahi hai” (Boys and girls, relax! There will be no lockdown in Delhi at the time of G20 summit).

The post reads, “Dear Delhiites, don’t panic at all! There is no lockdown. Just keep yourself updated with traffic information available on @dtpftraffic’s Virtual Help Desk.”

The Delhi traffic police has launched a dedicated helpdesk for the Delhiites to keep them informed about traffic updates in city during the G20 summit.

It was also clarified earlier that the Delhi metro will be in service and there will be no lockdown across the national capital. As a number of heads of States are coming and international organisations are joining, the Delhi Police have made a “controlled zone” in the New Delhi district, said Delhi Police PRO Suman Nalwa.

“Regarding the G20 summit, rumours are spreading that Delhi will be under lockdown at that time. It is factually not correct. As a number of heads of States are coming and international organisations are joining, that’s why we have made a ‘Controlled zone’ in the New Delhi district. All the commercial establishments have been closed in this area for three days (8-10 Sept). We have been advising people to travel by Delhi Metro. Bonafide residents of the restricted zone will be allowed to move by displaying a valid ID. No restriction on the movement of essential commodities coming through Delhi borders,” Delhi Police PRO Suman Nalwa told news agency ANI.

The restriction order will come into effect on September 7 at midnight and will stay on till September 10 at midnight.

TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS IN DELHI

• In its advisory recently, the Delhi Police “strongly encouraged” the public to utilize the Delhi Metro network whenever possible during the proceeding of the summit.
• Boarding and deboarding will not be permitted at Supreme Court Metro Station not permitted due to the station’s proximity to Bharat Mandapam, the designated summit venue.
• Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVs) and Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) will not be allowed to enter into Delhi.
• However, goods vehicles carrying Essential Commodities such as milk, vegetables, fruits, medical supplies, etc. having valid ‘No Entry Permissions’ will be allowed to enter the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area.
• “All heavy vehicles will be stopped at Delhi borders. However, emergency vehicles will be allowed,” Special Commissioner of Police, Traffic, SS Yadav told News18 on August 25.
• Delhi police will also set up special ambulance assistance booths at borders to facilitate emergency services without restrictions.
• Furthermore, the entire expanse of the New Delhi district will constitute a controlled zone, and only bona fide residents and authorized vehicles will be granted entry into these areas.
• General traffic will be allowed between the Ring Road and the Delhi borders but vehicles moving beyond the Ring Road towards the New Delhi district will be subject to regulation.
• General traffic, excluding goods vehicles and buses, will have permission to enter Delhi from Rajokari Border. Additionally, this traffic will be directed to compulsorily divert from NH-48 to Rao Tula Ram Marg – Olof Palme Marg. There will be no vehicular movement allowed on NH-48 toward Dhaula Kuan.
• Buses and public transport will also function outside the ring road area. Only designated vehicles will be diverted to the eastern and western corridors.
• However, exceptions will be given to vehicles engaged in essential services including waste management, catering and housekeeping among others.
• Interstate vehicles will be allowed to enter Delhi but they will not be allowed to reach ISBT terminals and terminate before the ring road.
• Private vehicles will be allowed to enter Delhi but they will not be allowed to enter anywhere in the NDMC area. Taxis will not be allowed to enter the NDMC areas except for residences and tourists who have verified bookings in hotels.
• From the night of September 7 to September 10, there will be restrictions on various types of vehicles in specific areas. Goods vehicles, commercial vehicles, interstate buses, and local city buses like DTC and DIMTS buses won’t be allowed on Mathura Road (beyond Ashram Chowk), Bhairon Road, Purana Quila Road and inside Pragati Maidan Tunnel during this period.
• From 5:00 AM on September 8th, 2023, until 11:59 PM on September 10th, 2023, the entire New Delhi District will be marked as “Controlled Zone-I.”
• Starting from midnight on September 10, until 2:00 PM on the same day the following regions will be designated as “Controlled Zone-II.” The specific roads and intersections include W-Point, A-Point, DDU Marg, Vikas Marg (up to Noida Link Road-Pusta Road), Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Delhi Gate, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg (from Rajghat to Guru Nanak Chowk), Chaman Lal Marg (from Guru Nanak Chowk to Turkman Gate), Asaf Ali Road (from Turkman Gate to BSZ Marg), Maharaja Ranjit Singh Marg (from Barakhamba – Tolstoy crossing to Guru Nanak Chowk on Chaman Lal Marg), Mahatma Gandhi Marg (from Delhi-Meerut Expressway T-Point to Kashmere Gate), IP Flyover, Shanti Van Chowk, Hanuman Setu, ISBT Kashmere Gate, and Salimgarh Bypass.
• For movement towards the Indira Gandhi International Airport, the police said Airport Metro Express Line will be the best mode. For people who want to travel to the airport in their personal vehicle, police asked them to plan their travel well in advance as there will be route diversions.
• The commuters traveling from the northern part of Delhi to the southern areas are advised to take the Ring Road-Ashram-Sarai Kale Khan-Delhi-Meerut Expressway-Noida Link Road-Pushta-Yudhister Setu-ISBT Kashmere Gate route.
• Those traveling from the eastern region to western areas are advised to take DND or Sun Dial-Ring Road-Ashram-Moolchand underpass-AIIMS-Ring Road-Dhaula Kuan-Yudhister Setu-Chandgi Ram Akhara-Azadpur and onward to Lala Jagat Narayan Marg.
• For ambulance assistance service, people can call 6828400604. The service will be launched from the night of September 7.
• According to officials, 10,000 police personnel will be on ground to ensure smooth traffic movement in the city during the summit which will be held over September 9 and 10 at the International Convention Centre at Pragati Maida.
• Earlier as well, the Delhi police posted on X, “Will there be a lockdown in Delhi during the #G20Summit? NO. New Delhi District will be a ‘Controlled Zone’, but bona fide residents of the area will be allowed passage. Metro and essential services will operate normally”.

The Delhi Police, which is also the nodal agency for security arrangements of G20 summit, on Saturday conducted full dress rehearsals while escorting carcades from different parts of the national capital towards the New Delhi district.

The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies.

The theme of India’s G20 Presidency is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth. One Family. One Future”. The concept is taken from the ancient Sanskrit text, Maha Upanishad and entails the intrinsic value of all forms of life – humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms.