Restricted zones, alternative routes in G20 commute plan

Travel and access to the national capital during the G20 Summit days will be severely restricted, particularly in the New Delhi district — also known as the Lutyens’ Zone — where only residents and those in essential services jobs will be allowed to enter after proving their identity, according to a traffic plan shared by the Delhi Police on Friday.

 

The restrictions will apply for the period between September 8 and 10, with the strictest ones in force on the final two days when heads of states and ministers of the Group of 20 (G20) nations are scheduled to arrive in Delhi for the Summit that marks the biggest multilateral event to be held in the city since the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Among the expected and confirmed attendees are US President Joe Biden, Chinese Premier Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and thousands of people invited as delegates, government representatives and as other dignitaries.

The restrictions have been divided into controlled and regulated zones. The New Delhi district has been classified as Controlled Zone 1, and certain other stretches — such as the Vikas Marg leading to ITO, roads near the Red Fort, and the vicinity of the city’s two main train stations — close to the venue have been clubbed into Controlled Zone 2.

The Regulated Zone will apply to all areas within the Ring Road, said Surender Singh Yadav, the special commissioner of police (traffic), who added that a helpdesk will be launched on the Delhi Police website with list of available transport and medical facilities.

“There will be no impact of these restrictions on ambulance movement or essential services. Since no buses will be allowed to move on the city roads between the midnights of September 7 and September 10, people are advised to use the Metro for commuting to their destination,” he said. Police officials, however, have separately written to the Delhi Metro asking them to shut services at some stations.