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New Delhi: On the first day of the New Year, a massive surge of visitors at India Gate and Kartavya Path prompted authorities to temporarily ban entry to the iconic monument. It triggered scenes of congestion and disappointment across central Delhi.
From early morning, people in large numbers gathered at Kartavya Path and around India Gate to welcome the New Year. The crowd quickly swelled to such an extent that police were compelled to restrict entry to prevent any untoward incident. Despite the ban, the inflow of people did not slow down, with thousands continuing to assemble along Kartavya Path.
The situation led to severe traffic snarls at C-Hexagon and adjoining areas near India Gate, causing inconvenience to commuters and visitors alike.
Several visitors expressed disappointment over the entry ban, saying they had travelled with high expectations to celebrate New Year’s Day at India Gate. Many had come from outside Delhi and hoped to include the landmark in their sightseeing plans. Some families said they wanted to take photographs with their children to mark the first day of the year, while one visitor shared that he had planned to show India Gate to his mother over a video call but could not do so due to the restrictions.
In anticipation of the New Year crowd, the Delhi Police had already deployed heavy security arrangements in and around the area. Authorities had also issued advisories urging people to avoid private vehicles and use public transport to ease traffic pressure.
Police officials said the entry restrictions were imposed purely in the interest of public safety, as the crowd size exceeded manageable limits.
