India celebrates it 74th Republic Day on January 26 with rehearsals taking place throughout the week prior. Delhi Traffic Police, Railways, and Delhi Metro have issued advisories while restrictions on air travel have been notified on various dates.
Metro advisory
While Delhi Metro rail services will remain open on Republic Day, boarding and deboarding at the Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan stations will be restricted.
The DMRC tweeted that boarding metro trains may take longer than usual due to enhanced security and frisking measures ahead of Republic Day.
During the Republic Day Parade, only people who have been invited to the parade or ticket holders can alight or deboard from the Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan stations. The restrictions will be in place between 5 AM to 2 PM on January 26.
Once the parade is over, those in attendance can board the metro at Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan or Mandi House. Parking across all metro stations will remain open in order to provide more convenience to citizens.
Security Update
Additional time might be needed in view of enhanced security and frisking measures ahead of Republic Day. Please allow for some extra time in your commute.Your cooperation is kindly solicited.
— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I कृपया मास्क पहनें😷 (@OfficialDMRC) January 17, 2023
Meanwhile, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has announced that it will provide free smart cards to passengers for the Aqua line from January 26 to February 4 to commemorate Republic Day.
Traffic advisory
For the 74th Republic Day celebrations, the Delhi traffic police have issued an advisory and urged all to alert the nearest police if they come across anything or anyone suspicious.
The grand parade for Republic Day will begin at 10.30 AM at Vijay Chowk and travel to the Red Fort. To ensure that the parade is conducted smoothly along its path, traffic arrangements and restrictions will be put in place, the Delhi traffic police tweeted.
No traffic will be allowed on Kartavya Path from Vijay Chowk to India Gate from 6 pm on January 25, till the parade is over. No cross traffic on the Kartavya Path will be allowed from 10 PM on January 25 at Rafi Marg, Janpath, Man Singh Road as well.
From 10.30 AM, the traffic on Tilak Marg, BSZ Marg and Subhash Marg will not be allowed on both roads and cross traffic will only be allowed depending on the parade’s movement. The commuters and drivers are requested to observe road discipline and traffic laws, the advisory added.
Additionally, the Park Street/Udyan Marg, R/A Kamla Marg, Pragati Maidan (Bhairon Road), Delhi Sachivalaya (IG Stadium), Mori Gate, Aram Bagh Road (Pahar Ganj), Hanuman Mandir (Yamuna Bazar), ISBT Sarai Kale Khan, ISBT Kashmiri Gate, and Tis Hazari Court will witness a reduction in city bus service.
The National Capital Territory (NCT) jurisdiction of Delhi has also restricted the flying of unconventional aerial platforms.
After January 26, the Ministry of Tourism is organising the five-day 'Bharat Parv' at Red Fort. As a result, the Delhi Traffic Police has made diversions that will remain in place between January 26 to 31. Traffic diversions will be placed at Delhi Gate Chhatta, Rail Chowk, T-Point at Subhash Marg, Hanuman Mandir, Yamuna Bazaar, Shanti Van, and GPO at Kashmiri Gate.
The Delhi Traffic Police had also issued traffic guidelines for January 20 and 21 and alternative routes to avoid congestion during the Republic Day parade rehearsals.
As per the advisory, the Kartavyapath-Rafi Marg Crossing, Kartavyapath-Janpath Crossing, Kartavyapath-Mansingh Road Crossing and Kartavya Path-C-Hexagon would see restrictions from 10:15 am to 12:30 pm on January 20 and 21.
The advisory suggested commuters take the Ring Road, ie Sarai Kale Khan- IP Flyover-Rajghat, Lajpat Rai Marg-Mathura Road- Bhairon Road-Ring Road and Prithvi Raj Road-Rajesh Pilot Marg-Subramaniam Bharti Marg-Mathura Road-Bhairon Road-Ring Road for travellers on the north to south Delhi route.
For the east-to-west Delhi route and vice versa, commuters are suggested to use the Ring Road-Bhairon Road- Mathura Road - Subramaniam Bharti Marg - Rajesh Pilot Marg- Prithvi Raj Road-Safdarjung Road - Kemal Ataturk Marg - Panchsheel Marg - Simon Bolivar Marg - Upper Ridge Road or Vande Mataram Marg.
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Those going from east to southwest Delhi can take the Ring Road - Vande Mataram Marg route.
People travelling from south Delhi to Connaught Place and Central Secretariat are advised to use the Mother Teresa Crescent-Park Street-Mandir Marg/Baba Kharak Singh Marg route.
Railway advisory
Due to the Republic Day celebrations and the full dress rehearsal of the event,train services of all four railway stations in Delhi -- New Delhi, Old Delhi, Sarai Rohilla and Hazrat Nizamuddin -- will be disrupted on January 23 and 26.
The routes of many trains operating from these stations will be changed while several trains will run intermittently on the way.
Train number 04444- New Delhi-Ghaziabad Mail Express Special and Train number 14315- Bareilly-New Delhi Intercity Express operating from New Delhi will be diverted to run via New Delhi-Delhi Junction-Delhi Shahdara-Sahibabad on January 23 and 26, as per a Prabhat Khabar report.
Train (No. 04444) New Delhi-Ghaziabad Mail Express Special and Train (No. 14315) Bareilly-New Delhi Intercity Express operating from New Delhi will be diverted to run via New Delhi-Delhi Junction-Delhi Shahdara-Sahibabad on January 23 and 26.
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While other trains including train number 12877 Ranchi-New Delhi Garib Rath, Train number 20839 Ranchi-New Delhi Rajdhani Special, Train number 12033 Kanpur-New Delhi Shatabdi, Train number 12581 Banaras-New Delhi Super-Fast will run intermittently on the way.
Air travel advisory
Airspace restrictions have been put in place in Delhi for a period of eight days this month in view of the Republic Day preparations and celebrations.
There will be airspace curbs from January 19 to 24 and on January 26 and 29 according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM).
ALSO READ: Watch: Republic Day Parade Rehearsals in full swing at Delhi’s Kartavya Path
Restrictions will be in place daily from 10:00 hours to 13:15 hours between January 19 and 24.
During this period, non-scheduled flights of airlines and chartered flights will not be allowed to take off or land at the Delhi airport. However, scheduled flights will not be impacted by these restrictions.
Some users reported that their flights have been cancelled in lieu of the Republic Day celebrations.
@Paytmcare @IndiGo6E just received a message from Paytm Due to the airspace restrictions during the Republic Day week (19-24th and 26th Jan '23), your Paytm flight booking 19430982514 with Indigo stands cancelled. Please contact the airlines in case of any queries. pic.twitter.com/oVkHZhuBqH
— Sahil Bothra (@sahilbothra1092) January 19, 2023
Travellers are advised to check their flight status beforehand.
