Thu Jan 23 09:38:51 UTC 2025: ## Republic Day Rehearsal Causes Gridlock in Central Delhi
**NEW DELHI –** Central Delhi experienced significant traffic congestion on Thursday due to the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day parade. Commuters faced lengthy delays and significant inconvenience, particularly in areas surrounding India Gate and ITO.
Ring Road, especially near the ITO loop and IP Extension, saw vehicles moving at a snail’s pace. One commuter reported heavy traffic on Vikas Marg as well, necessitating a U-turn near the IP Extension metro station to avoid the congestion. Similar slowdowns were reported near Shivaji Stadium metro station and Connaught Place.
The situation was exacerbated by heightened security measures. Sneha Rai, a Noida resident, noted considerable delays at the Delhi-Noida border due to increased security checks. Further congestion occurred at Ashram Chowk and along Ring Road, with road closures near C-Hexagon at India Gate forcing diversions and creating long queues.
Delhi Police had issued a traffic advisory on Wednesday warning of restrictions and diversions in the area, but the scale of the disruption still caused significant hardship for commuters.
First Piper 