CJP Protest Triggers Traffic Chaos Across Delhi
Heavy security, barricades and road diversions cause long jams in Central Delhi, Kalindi Kunj and Seelampur as police move to prevent mass gatherings.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 10th Oct: Delhi witnessed heavy traffic congestion on Saturday as extensive security arrangements ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar disrupted movement across several parts of the national capital.
The deployment of police personnel, barricades, vehicle checks and traffic diversions slowed traffic in Central Delhi, forcing commuters to endure long delays. Despite advance advisories, people travelling to work and other destinations reported difficulties navigating the affected routes.
The CJP has called for a fresh agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of irregularities involving Form 6 and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Central Delhi Roads Face Heavy Congestion
Traffic movement remained affected around the General Post Office (GPO), Baba Khadak Singh Marg, Ashok Road and the stretch from Pandit Pant Marg to Mahadev Road, according to an update issued by Delhi Traffic Police.
Heavy congestion was also reported at Kalindi Kunj on the Noida-to-Delhi route and in Seelampur, where security checks and restrictions on commercial vehicles added to commuters’ difficulties.
With traffic moving slowly in several areas, some commuters chose to walk to reach their destinations.
One commuter said the jam had forced him to walk nearly a kilometre after he failed to find a bus amid the congestion.
Police teams have been deployed at key junctions and sensitive stretches to manage diversions and prevent unauthorised gatherings near the protest venue.
Traffic Police Say Staff Deployed at Key Routes
Dinesh Kumar Gupta, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic Zone-II), said traffic personnel had been deployed across the area, covering 30 key stretches.
He said officers were monitoring the situation and would introduce diversions wherever necessary to prevent blockages caused by demonstrations or security requirements.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Headquarters, Traffic) Sanjay Kumar Tyagi said traffic had been diverted on certain roads in the New Delhi district due to law-and-order considerations.
He added that personnel were stationed at diversion points to guide commuters towards alternative routes, while traffic advisories were being issued to minimise inconvenience.
CJP Leaders Detained Ahead of Protest
The security operation has also involved the detention of several prominent CJP figures before the planned demonstration.
CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were detained aboard an aircraft after arriving at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, according to reports. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was also reportedly detained from his residence in Gurugram.
Other protesters were taken to Chhatrasal Stadium as police continued preventive action against gatherings linked to the demonstration.
The CJP maintained that its agitation would continue nationwide despite the detention of its leaders, declaring that the movement would proceed “with or without leaders”.
In a video recorded aboard the aircraft during the police action, Dipke sharply criticised the detentions and compared the situation with the Emergency period. Das alleged that the authorities were attempting to stall a constitutional movement through force.
The detentions and traffic restrictions have intensified the confrontation surrounding the planned protest, as police seek to maintain public order while the CJP presses its demands against the Election Commission.
