Video: Raksha Bandhan rush leaves Ghaziabad roads choked with long traffic jams

UPDATED: Aug 27, 2026 21:04 ISTGhaziabad witnessed heavy traffic jams on Thursday evening, a day before Raksha Bandhan, as a surge in vehicles put major roads under pressure. Long queues were reported on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, with videos from nearby high-rise residential societies showing vehicles backed up along the expressway. Traffic on NH-09 between Dasna and Mehrauli Cut also moved at a slow pace. One of the major bottlenecks was at the Delhi-Meerut Expressway exit, where the road narrows from eight lanes to two, creating heavy pressure as vehicles merge near the turn. Despite a traffic advisory issued ahead of the festival, the evening rush was further intensified by office-goers returning home and people travelling for Raksha Bandhan. Traffic was also affected at Lal Kuan, GT Road, Ambedkar Road and Meerut Tiraha. Traffic police teams were deployed across key routes, while diversions were implemented at some points. Read MoreVIDEOS FROM OTHER SECTIONSLATEST VIDEOSGen Z Poll: Jobs & Education Top Concerns As CJP Emerges As Pressure GroupA special report panel discusses recent survey data surrounding Gen Z voters and the emergence of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) as a pressure group. According to the data, 39% of respondents believe CJP should remain a pressure group, while 26% favor it contesting elections, and 33% express willingness to vote for the party if it contests. CJP representative Vijay Reddy states the group remains committed to staying a pressure group to remain accessible at the grassroots and avoid political stigma. The panel highlights Gen Z's primary concerns, with jobs (53%) and education (22%) taking top priority, while 48% feel hard work alone is insufficient due to nepotism, lack of opportunities, or reliance on connections. Representatives from the BJP and Congress present differing interpretations, with the BJP framing the youth as aspirational reform supporters and Congress viewing the data as an anti-establishment reflection of economic exhaustion and discontent.Modi Leads PM Race At 49%, Rahul Gandhi Trails As Vijay Emerges As New Political AlternativeAn India Today special report on the Mood of the Nation survey examines public approval ratings for prime ministerial candidates and political leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi leads the choice for the next Prime Minister at 49 percent, while Rahul Gandhi trails at 27 percent. Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay enters as a new entrant with 9 percent, ahead of Arvind Kejriwal at 1.2 percent. The panel notes that while PM Modi maintains a significant lead over opponents, his approval rating has dipped slightly from earlier polls. However, voters moving away from the BJP are not automatically gravitating toward Rahul Gandhi, who receives 29 percent support to lead the INDIA bloc and 41 percent to lead the Congress party. Panelists highlight that emerging alternatives like Vijay are capturing the interest of younger voters and Gen Z seeking change, posing a challenge for Rahul Gandhi to consolidate the anti-BJP vote share.Modi Approval Falls 6 Points To 58%: Price Rise Tops Govt Failures, Unemployment Next | MOTNThe latest Mood of the Nation survey shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's approval rating standing at 58 per cent, with 51 per cent rating his performance as good, 17 per cent as average, and 27 per cent as poor. This reflects a six per cent drop compared to January 2026. Survey respondents identified political stability as the NDA government's biggest achievement at 13 per cent, followed by the Ram Temple and infrastructure at 11 per cent each. Conversely, price rise was cited as the biggest failure at 23 per cent, followed by unemployment at 16 per cent and economic growth at 14 per cent. During the panel discussion, BJP spokesperson Sanju Verma argued that political momentum remains with the party following recent assembly election victories. She highlighted strong support among women and Gen Z voters. Analyst Yashwant Deshmukh pointed out vote drainage for the BJP outside West Bengal, noting anti-incumbency across the Hindi heartland. Meanwhile, Congress representative Brijesh Kalappa contended that the BJP faces diminishing returns.