Dhanteras Chaos: Delhi-NCR Paralyzed by Massive Festive Traffic Snarls
Dhanteras shopping triggers massive traffic snarls across Delhi-NCR. Major hubs and expressways turn into parking lots as crowds flock for festive buys.
The national capital region transformed into a sprawling sea of glowing red tail-lights on Friday evening as the Delhi-NCR traffic snarls reached an unprecedented scale. Marking the official commencement of Diwali festivities, the occasion of Dhanteras drew lakhs of eager shoppers into the streets, bringing vehicular movement to a grinding halt and leaving motorists stranded in kilometres-long bumper-to-bumper jams.
Shopping Spree Overwhelms City Infrastructure
As citizens flocked to commercial hubs to purchase auspicious items such as gold, silver jewellery, electronics, and kitchenware, the city's road infrastructure was completely overwhelmed. The surge in footfall and vehicle volume resulted in chaotic scenes across the metropolis, with deafening honks echoing through streets where traffic could only move at a crawling pace.
Hotspots of Congestion
Several prominent commercial epicentres burst at the seams, creating bottlenecks that rippled across the city. The most affected areas included:
- Market Hubs: Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh, Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, and South Extension.
- Transit Points: Anand Vihar, Khichripur, and the Ghazipur Highway.
The crisis extended beyond the markets to the city's primary arterial stretches. The Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, ITO, and the DND Flyway were reported to be in a state of total gridlock, while the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway effectively turned into a virtual parking lot for hours.
The Significance of Dhanteras
Dhanteras, celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin or Kartika, serves as the inaugural day of the Diwali celebrations. Across India, the day is observed with immense fervour and enthusiasm.
The day is dedicated to the worship of Siddhi Vinayak Ganesh Ji, the Goddess of Wealth Mahalakshmi Ji, and Kuber Ji. It is widely regarded as an exceptionally auspicious day for making new purchases. Beyond the high-value items like gold and vehicles, the purchase of brooms is also considered particularly significant during this time.
Honouring the God of Ayurveda
In addition to the pursuit of wealth and prosperity, the occasion is dedicated to the worship of Dhanvantari. Revered as the god of Ayurveda, Dhanvantari is credited with imparting the wisdom of traditional medicine to mankind to alleviate the suffering caused by diseases.