Wed Jan 01 19:39:45 UTC 2025: ## New Year’s Day Brings Traffic Chaos to New Delhi

**New Delhi, January 2, 2025** – New Delhi’s New Year’s Day celebrations resulted in massive traffic jams across the city as throngs of people flocked to tourist attractions and shopping areas. Roads leading to iconic landmarks such as India Gate, Red Fort, and the Delhi Zoological Park were severely congested, with public transport systems, including the Delhi Metro, operating at maximum capacity during peak hours.

The C-Hexagon area near India Gate was particularly affected, prompting authorities to ban auto-rickshaws from parking and restricting visitor access to the India Gate premises. Mathura Road, leading to Pragati Maidan, also experienced significant delays. Other popular destinations, including several temples and the Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, witnessed similarly large crowds.

The Delhi Zoo reported a record 25,343 visitors, exceeding the previous year’s January 1st count by over 7,000. Authorities had implemented additional security and crowd control measures in anticipation of the large crowds.

Shopping areas like Lajpat Nagar Market, Sarojini Nagar Market, and Connaught Place also saw a surge in shoppers, contributing to traffic congestion on major roads. Traders attributed the increased foot traffic to the recent cold weather and demand for winter clothing. The New Delhi Municipal Council deployed additional sanitation resources to manage the increased waste in these areas.

Long queues were reported at several metro stations throughout the city. Delhi Traffic Police issued nearly 4,500 challans for various traffic violations, a 34% increase compared to the previous year. While no fatal accidents were reported, police booked 558 individuals for drunk driving between 12:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. on January 1st. The police noted that the actual number of challans issued could be higher due to a temporary server outage. A separate crackdown on disruptive bikers in Jamia Nagar resulted in 35 arrests.

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