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Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day visit to India starting Thursday, the Delhi Police have arranged a multi-layered security ring around the capital and sanitised traffic routes for his cavalcade, senior officers said.
Although the Delhi Police have not yet issued an official traffic advisory to ease commuters’ travel woes, senior officers have indicated that one would be issued ahead of Putin’s arrival.
The Russian President is likely to arrive in New Delhi around 4.30 pm, his first visit to the country since the start of the war in Ukraine.
A senior police officer said that a high-security grid would be established around the routes taken by Putin’s convoy, as well as the hotel where he would be staying.
More than 50 personnel from Russian security protocol teams will coordinate with the Delhi Police and other agencies to secure and inspect the routes prior to his arrival. Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams, Quick Response Teams (QRTs), and Anti-Terror squads will patrol strategic locations throughout the capital, while senior officers from the Delhi Police oversee the security arrangements.
The officer said that diversions and congestion on major routes could be expected as soon as Putin lands at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The Russian President will then head to the Sardar Patel Marg. Commuters should expect congestion on the NH8 stretch, Dhaula Kuan, and Delhi Cantonment regions, along with the Sardar Patel Road, the officer said. During evening hours, Panchseel Marg and Shanti Path might also see diversions due to congestion, he added.
The traffic snarls are likely to persist on Friday, as the cavalcade is scheduled to begin moving early in the morning towards Raj Ghat, leading to congestion in that area and on roads around India Gate, Delhi Gate, and ITO.
In the afternoon, the Russian President will visit Bharat Mandapam for a programme with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which will likely cause traffic snarls around Mathura Road, Mandi House, and Bhairo Road. The day will conclude with a state dinner at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and commuters should expect diversions on roads leading towards India Gate and Central Secretariat, the police said.
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