Delhi's borders turn bottlenecks as pollution checks meet INDIA bloc rally traffic

Long queues of cars, buses and trucks stretched along Delhi’s borders with Gurugram and Sonipat on Sunday as vehicle checks and traffic heading to the INDIA bloc’s rally slowed the journey into the capital.For airport-bound passengers, the wait brought worries about missing flights. For Congress workers stopped on their way to Ramlila Maidan, it led to heated exchanges with police, followed by a march on foot.The congestion coincided with the first day of Delhi’s ban on older vehicles registered outside the city. Congress workers alleged that police were using the pollution curbs to keep them away from the INDIA Bloc rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.LONG WAIT ON DELHI-GURUGRAM HIGHWAYOn the Delhi-Gurugram highway, NH-48, the queue stretched for 3–4 kilometres as police manually checked vehicles entering Delhi. Commuters reported delays of 50–60 minutes, with airport-bound passengers caught in the slow-moving traffic. Along the highway, Congress workers argued with police over the barricading. They alleged that buses, tractors and tankers had deliberately been parked across the road to block their passage to the rally.After heated exchanges, hundreds of workers forcibly removed the barricades and set off towards Delhi on foot, carrying party flags. Delhi Police personnel were also stationed at the Sirhaul border as the march moved towards the capital. For other commuters, the frustration centred on the lack of advance information. They complained that no prior notice about the barricading or traffic diversions had been shared on social media.BUSES AND TRUCKS CRAWL AT KUNDLIAt the Kundli border, buses and cars carrying Congress workers from Punjab and Haryana inched forward alongside trucks and other vehicles as police checked traffic entering Delhi.The queues formed on NH-44, which connects Delhi with Sonipat and runs through Haryana towards Punjab. Trucks were also caught in the congestion, leaving drivers waiting with rally-bound workers and other commuters.Traffic piled up at the KGP and KMP zero point too, where diversions were in place.NEW VEHICLE CURBS AT DELHI’S GATESThe checks came as Delhi began enforcing a ban on vehicles registered outside the city that meet BS-IV or older emission standards. The restriction took effect on November 1 and will remain in force until January 31.CNG and electric vehicles, ambulances, fire tenders, police vehicles and other notified exempt vehicles will be allowed to ply.The ban is part of a wider set of winter pollution curbs announced by the Delhi government. These include suspending most outdoor construction activities, doubling parking fees and limiting physical attendance in government and private offices to 50 per cent.According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the measures will apply for varying periods between November 1 and February 28.FLAGS AND SLOGANS AT RAMLILA MAIDANAs vehicles crawled at the borders, supporters carrying flags and placards gathered at Ramlila Maidan for the INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ protest.The alliance is protesting alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.Senior opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee, travelled in an open bus from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence to Minto Road before marching towards the venue.Delhi Police deployed more than 4,000 personnel and over 200 CCTV cameras for security at the protest.- Ends