Central Delhi is likely to experience traffic disruptions on Monday and Tuesday due to the "Meri Mati Mera Desh — Amrit Kalash Yatra" event organized at Vijay Chowk in commemoration of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary. The Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory, suggesting that commuters should only travel to these areas if absolutely necessary.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the event at Vijay Chowk, which will lead to traffic restrictions and diversions from 9 am to 9 pm. Key intersections and roundabouts, such as Patel Chowk, Shanti Path, Aurobindo Chowk, Mandi House, Ashoka Road, Rajaji Marg, and Janpath, have been identified as potential traffic congestion points. The advisory strongly recommends using these routes only for essential travel.
Furthermore, the Delhi Metro is expected to experience heavy passenger loads, particularly on the Yellow and Violet lines. Specific Metro stations, including Sultanpur, Ghitorni, Qutub Minar, Central Secretariat, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, IFFCO Chowk, Arjan Garh, and Udyog Bhawan, are likely to witness significant foot traffic, as cautioned by the police department.
To alleviate road congestion, the advisory advises commuters to utilize public transportation instead of personal vehicles and to avoid roadside parking. Commuters heading to locations like Vayu Bhawan, Sena Bhawan, Vigyan Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Parliament House, South Block, North Block, Central Secretariat, Rashtrapati Bhawan, and India Gate are urged to plan their journeys with extra time to account for possible delays along the route.
A police officer told the Hindustan Times that the event is likely to draw a crowd of 50,000 to 60,000 people, with the highest attendance expected on the second day. He also stated that the actual numbers for the second day may surpass initial estimates, but this will only become clear on Monday.
Traffic management is under the supervision of four deputy commissioners of police, 10 assistant commissioners, and approximately 25 traffic inspectors, along with a workforce of about 200 to 250 subordinates. The event is centered at Vijay Chowk, impacting traffic on roads connected to the restricted areas, although traffic flow will be maintained. Diversions have been implemented primarily for buses and auto-rickshaws, according to the officer.
The anticipated restrictions are poised to affect commuters in central Delhi, particularly in areas like Connaught Place, a renowned office and dining district.
What did PM Narendra Modi say?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 103rd edition of Mann Ki Baat, announced the “Meri Mati Mera Desh” campaign, he said, “In the memory of these luminaries, special inscriptions will also be installed in lakhs of village panchayats of the country... (The) Amrit Kalash Yatra, carrying soil in 7,500 urns from every corner of the country, will conclude in Delhi. The yatra will also carry with it saplings from different parts of the country. An ‘Amrit Vatika’ will be built near the National War Memorial by fusing the soil and saplings that would arrive in 7,500 urns. This ‘Amrit Vatika’ will also become a grand symbol of ‘Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat’."
“With these efforts, we will realise our duties... We will realise the innumerable sacrifices made for the freedom of the country; we will realise the value of freedom. Hence, every countryman must join in these efforts,” the Prime Minister had said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the culmination of the 'Meri Maati Mera Desh' campaign, a tribute to those who made the supreme sacrifice for the country, and inaugurate 'Amrit Vatika' and 'Amrit Mahotsav Memorial' on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary on Tuesday.
The event, to be held on the Kartavya Path here, will also mark the closing of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and the launch of the 'Mera Yuva Bharat' (MY Bharat) platform for the youth of the country, a statement said.
Modi will also address thousands of people who spearheaded the Amrit Kalash Yatras in different parts of the country.
The PMO statement said the Meri Maati Mera Desh campaign is a tribute to the bravehearts who have made the supreme sacrifice for the country.
In the spirit of people's participation, the campaign comprised many activities and ceremonies conducted across the country, including building of memorials and people taking five pledges first spelt out by Modi in his Independence Day speech.
