Delhi Traffic Advisory: Major diversions today for BRICS motorcade rehearsals; check routes to airport, railway stations
Delhi Traffic Advisory: BRICS Motorcade Route Closures
Theindiapostdaily.com – The Delhi Traffic Advisory issued for Tuesday, 1 September, signals a near-total shutdown of New Delhi's central corridors between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Full-scale rehearsals for the BRICS Summit motorcade will convert the city's most sensitive VVIP arteries into closed-set stages, forcing every commuter, airport traveller, and rail passenger onto alternate paths or public transit.
Why the City Is Locking Down Its Core Roads
The BRICS Summit convenes leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and newer member states in one of the largest multilateral gatherings hosted on Indian soil in recent years. The ceremonial motorcade that will carry delegations through the capital's avenues demanded months of logistical planning, and the September 1 rehearsal serves as the final dress run before the actual event. For everyday residents, the practical effect is a compressed four-hour window in which through-traffic along the diplomatic spine simply stops.
Delhi Traffic Police published the advisory on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, urging anyone who must move during the restricted window to allow substantial extra travel time, favour the Metro, and follow on-ground diversion instructions rather than GPS defaults.
"Allow extra travel time, use public transport—especially the Metro—and follow diversion routes and instructions of traffic personnel."
Which Roads Close and Where Junctions Lock
The advisory names a cluster of central corridors where movement will be restricted or halted outright: Sardar Patel Marg, Mother Teresa Crescent, Mathura Road, Janpath, Ashoka Road, and Shanti Path. More granular bans apply at specific junctions:
Mathura Road approach: No vehicle may turn toward Mathura Road from Dr Dinesh Nandini Dalmia Chowk (W-Point), from beneath the Lodhi Flyover, or from under the Oberoi Flyover. The closure is absolute.
C-Hexagon / India Gate perimeter: Traffic on Kasturba Gandhi Marg or Janpath will be barred from proceeding toward C-Hexagon or the Outer Circle of Connaught Place.
Mandi House intersection: Movement toward Feroz Shah Road, Bhagwan Das Road, and Copernicus Marg will be blocked.
Southern and diplomatic flyovers: Vehicles crossing the Dhaula Kuan Flyover cannot continue onto Sardar Patel Marg; traffic on the Moti Bagh Flyover will be prevented from entering Shanti Path.
Airport and Railway Access During the Advisory Window
For travellers bound for Indira Gandhi International Airport (T1, T2, or T3), police have mapped alternate corridors that skirt the closed zones:
From Gurugram: Remain on NH-48 until it links into Rao Gajraj Singh Marg, or use the Old Delhi–Gurugram Road to reach UER II. From Dwarka: Exit at Sector-22 onto Dwarka Road and thread the new UER II tunnel straight to Terminal 3. From New Delhi / South Delhi: Follow the Ring Road to AIIMS Chowk, then angle toward Moti Bagh Chowk and RTR Marg. From West, North, and East Delhi: Route via ISBT Kashmiri Gate or Punjabi Bagh Chowk, heading toward Raja Garden and Najafgarh Road before connecting to UER-II through Dwarka Road.
Railway access follows similar logic: New Delhi Station via ISBT Kashmiri Gate and Boulevard Road through Ashram Chowk, or via Vande Matram Marg and Panchkuian Road. Old Delhi Station via the Ring Road through Ashram Chowk, or Vande Matram Marg toward the Rani Jhansi Flyover. Hazrat Nizamuddin Station through AIIMS and the Ring Road, or via ISBT Kashmiri Gate connecting to the Ring Road.
The Delhi Metro is singled out as the preferred mode for every airport and intra-city journey during the advisory window. Services will run on normal schedules across all stations with no expected disruptions. Ambulances, emergency responders, and vehicles carrying essential utility supplies retain priority, obstruction-free passage through every controlled zone at all times.
FAQ: Practical Answers for the Advisory Window
Can I drive through the closed corridors if I live inside them? Residents within the restricted zone should still expect managed flow and possible temporary standstills. If your trip is non-essential, shift it before 11 AM or after 3 PM.
Will Metro services be disrupted? No. All lines and stations operate on normal schedules throughout the advisory window.
What if my GPS still routes me through a closed road? Ignore the navigation prompt and follow the directions of traffic personnel on the ground. Police have posted diversion signage at every affected junction.
Are commercial or utility vehicles affected? Ambulances, emergency responders, and essential-supply vehicles retain priority passage at all times. Other commercial freight should use the mapped alternate corridors listed above.