Delhi Traffic Police conducts 3-day special drive to remove illegal encroachments

New Delhi, May 22 (PTI) The Delhi Traffic Police conducted a three-day special drive from May 19 to 21 across the New Delhi Range to remove illegal encroachments and ease congestion, officials said on Thursday.

The massive crackdown targeted key traffic corridors including Arjun Path, Old Delhi-Gurugram Road, Mahipalpur Market, Sarojini Nagar Market and South Campus Ring Road, they said.

The crackdown also targeted Nelson Mandela Road, RK Puram, Khan Market, Barakhamba Road, Janpath Marg and several other high-footfall areas with heavy vehicular movement during peak hours, officials added.

A total of 11,361 challans were issued and 302 vehicles were towed for illegal parking or obstruction. Legal action under appropriate sections of law was initiated against the violators, the traffic police said in a statement.

According to officials, the drive was aimed at reclaiming public spaces and ensuring smoother flow of traffic by addressing obstructions such as illegally parked autorickshaws, private taxis, e-rickshaws, and street vendors (rehri-partis), which were narrowing roadways and obstructing pedestrian movement.

"Teams personally monitored the operation on several stretches which had been heavily encroached, leading to frequent traffic snarls. The road width had effectively reduced due to the illegal occupation on both sides, leaving little room for vehicles and pedestrians," Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dinesh Kumar Gupta said.

The drive has resulted in noticeable improvement in traffic movement, especially in severely affected zones. PTI BM BM OZ OZ