G20 Summit: How to travel in Delhi? What’s allowed and what’s not?

India has made elaborate security arrangements as the Group of 20 (G20) leaders arrive in New Delhi for a summit this week. From United States president Joe Biden to Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida, several heads of state of the world’s major economies will be travelling to the National Capital for the G20 summit.

Representatives of global organisations like the United Nations, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and World Trade Organization (WTO) will also mark their presence during the mega conclave scheduled for the weekend.

With India hosting such high-profile guests, the Delhi Police has imposed various restrictions, including the closure of certain roads, to ensure the safety and movement of these foreign dignitaries.

If you are wondering how traffic and other services will be affected in Delhi during the summit this weekend, we have tried to answer some of your queries here. Let’s take a look.

Where’s the summit?

The Centre is organising the G20 Summit at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan on 9 and 10 September. The foreign dignitaries will also visit Rajghat, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa during the two-day summit.

Parking services near Pragati Maidan will be available only for authorised vehicles during the conclave. Commuters are advised to avoid private vehicles and take alternative modes of transport.

What are the traffic restrictions?

There will be some restrictions on the traffic movement starting from 7 September night to 11 September.

As per the Delhi Traffic Police, general traffic will remain unaffected outside the jurisdiction of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area, excluding National Highway 48 (NH-48).

As per NDTV, areas such as Dhaula Kuan, Khan Market, Janpath and Bhikaji Cama Place have been declared as “sensitive areas” by the Delhi Police. While no markets will be closed in these regions, they will be subjected to traffic regulations, Surender Yadav, Special CP (Traffic) said in an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Facebook Sunday (3 September), reported the news channel.

All kinds of commercial vehicles and buses already in Delhi will be allowed on Ring Road and the road network beyond Ring Road, towards the borders of the National Capital.

According to the traffic police, bonafide residents and authorised vehicles can move within the New Delhi district, which will be considered ‘Controlled Zone-I’ from 5 am on 8 September to 11.59 pm on 10 September.

“Bonafide residents, authorised vehicles and essential service providers mentioned above will have to carry documents to prove their identity,” the police added.

It must be noted that medical shops, grocery shops, milk booths, and vegetable and fruit shops will remain open across the city.

Vehicles related to housekeeping, catering, waste management, etc. for hotels, hospitals and other key establishments will be allowed on Delhi roads only after verification.

Will public transport be available?

Yes. Authorities are encouraging people to avail public transport services, especially metro trains, during the summit.

Metro at most stations will be operational without any restrictions. However, boarding and deboarding will be halted at Supreme Court Metro Station from 5:00 am on September 9 to 11:00 pm on September 10.

Moreover, entry and exit gates of some metro stations, such as Moti Bagh, Bhikaji Cama Place, Munirka, RK Puram, IIT, and Sadar Bazar Cantonment, will be shut from 8-10 September.

While interstate buses can enter Delhi, they will have terminating points on the Ring Road.

From 8-10 September, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) will curb its services on at least 60 routes, including New Delhi Railway Station, Nizamuddin Railway Station, Central Secretariat and Shivaji Stadium, Hindustan Times (HT) reported.

Taxis and auto-rickshaws will be prohibited from entering or plying in Delhi from 5:00 am on 9 September to 11:59 pm on 10 September.

“However, Taxis carrying bonafide residents and tourists having valid bookings in hotels located inside New Delhi District will be allowed to ply on the road network inside New Delhi District,” the traffic police said in its advisory.

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What alternate routes can be taken?

Travellers have been advised to avoid areas in regulated and controlled zones. The area inside Ring Road (Mahatma Gandhi Marg) will be a ‘regulated zone’ from 5 am on 8 September to 11.59 pm on 10 September.

If movement on these restricted zones is essential and unavoidable, the traffic police have suggested these alternate roads for commuters.

North-South Corridor

Ring Road – Ashram Chowk – Sarai Kale Khan – Delhi-Meerut Expressway – Noida Link Road – Pusta Road –Yudhistir Setu – ISBT Kashmere Gate – Ring Road – Majnu Ka Tila.

From AIIMS Chowk – Ring Road – Dhaula Kuan – Ring Road – Brar Square – Naraina Flyover – Rajouri Garden Junction – Ring Road – Punjabi Bagh Junction – Ring Road – Azad Pur Chowk.

East-West Corridor

From Sun Dial/DND Flyover – Ring Road –Ashram Chowk – Moolchand Underpass – AIIMS Chowk – Ring Road – Dhaula Kuan – Ring Road – Brar Square – Naraina Flyover.

From Yudhisthir Setu – Ring Road – Chandgi Ram Akhara – Mall Road – Azad Pur Chowk – Ring Road – Lala Jagat Narayan Marg.

What about Railway stations and Delhi airport?

As per the traffic police, “Movement of passengers to Airport, Railway Stations, and ISBTs will be facilitated as all these facilities will be operational even during the G-20 Summit.”

Northern Railways has already either cancelled or diverted more than 200 passenger trains from 8 to 11 September – mostly running from Delhi to South Haryana’s Sonipat-Panipat, Rohtak, Rewari, and Palwal routes – in view of the G20 summit, reported NDTV.

Considering the traffic diversions and regulations, passengers catching a flight or travelling via trains must keep an ample amount of time in hand.

Delhi Traffic Police has suggested routes for reaching the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and railway stations smoothly. You can also check the recommended metro services to reach the IGI airport.

जी-20 समिट ( दिनांक 9 व 10 सितंबर ) के दौरान, सुगम आवाजाही के लिए यातायात निर्देशिका।

Traffic advisory in view of #G20Summit on Sept 9 & 10, 2023, to facilitate hassle free movement of vehicles.

यातायात निर्देशिका/Traffic Advisory: https://t.co/fFgh2gcsAK pic.twitter.com/nEO09PFpf9

— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) August 31, 2023

About 160 domestic flights to and from IGI Airport have been cancelled between 8 and 10 September due to the G20 summit.

What else will be affected?

You cannot avail online food delivery services in Delhi from 8-10 September.

“Cloud kitchens and food deliveries, or any commercial deliveries like Amazon deliveries, will not be allowed as we have stopped commercial services in the NDMC area,” Special Commissioner of Police SS Yadav was quoted as saying by India Today.

Some heads of state will stay at the Maurya Sheraton hotel in Saket, the Lodhi Hotel in the southwest district and the Hyatt at Ring Road, according to Special CP (Traffic) Yadav. “All these are out of NDMC area and will function normally. Only on some occasions, when there will be movement of dignitaries, traffic will be regulated temporarily. Otherwise, all the malls and hotels in these areas will function normally,” the traffic official said, as per NDTV. 

As vehicular movement will be restricted in the controlled zone, Yadav has requested people not to go out for morning walks during the summit.

Moreover, all theatres and restaurants in the controlled area of of New Delhi will be shut, noted NDTV. 

With inputs from agencies