NEW DELHI, Jan 21: The Auto Expo '98 - one of the main factors in throwing traffic out of gear in the Capital - drew to a close today, traffic snarls continued to worry commuters. Even the policemen and their cranes could do little to put an end to it.There were serpentine queues of vehicles along the Mathura road and office-goers had a harried time reaching the offices. The buses on some routes were diverted because of the restriction imposed due to the Republic day rehearsals which added to the chaos.``It's terrible, I have been stuck here for the past one and a half hours, why isn't the traffic police doing something about it,'' said R. Srinivasan, a resident of Hauz Khas. According to a number of motorists who spoke to Express Newsline, the traffic was so heavy even on the outer ring road that it them hours to reach their offices. Those coming from South Delhi towards ITO, Mandi House and North Delhi were the worse hit.Although there was no rehearsal today Rajpath remained out of bounds for traffic. The problem was accentuated further as traffic had spilled over to the roads in New Delhi.Even the traffic police's directions to motorists, advising them to take the Ring Road and the Teen Murti Marg-Willington Crescent-Mandir Marg route fell flat, as this route was among the worst affected. ``I had an urgent appointment at Asaf Ali road, so I decided to leave home early, but I was stuck on the outer ring road,'' complained, Harbhajan Singh, a banker from Mayur Vihar.According to police officials, the traffic situation was also affected as hordes of ticket seekers and their supporters have descended on the Capital. ``There is already a huge rush on the Purana Quila road, and people coming to meet Sita Ram Kesri have blocked half of the way,'' said a traffic police official.The evening was especially bad as the office hour rush was made worse by those returning from the Auto Expo, and there was a beeline of cars scrambling to get out of parking lots outside Pragati Maidan. Tilak Marg had a long queue of vehicles stretching up to India Gate. Even Connaught Place and RML Hospital crossing witnessed the same scenario.With the Republic Day traffic restrictions on till the 26th and Beating Retreat to be held on 29th, the traffic chaos will continue to haunt residents for a couple of days more.
