Delhi-Meerut Expressway Faces Heavy Congestion Amid Raksha Bandhan Travel Rush

Heavy traffic congestion hit the Delhi-Meerut Expressway on Thursday evening, August 27, as a large number of people travelled ahead of Raksha Bandhan, leaving commuters stuck in slow-moving traffic for several hours. The congestion affected multiple stretches of the expressway and surrounding roads as people from Delhi and Noida headed towards their hometowns and relatives' homes for the festival. Traffic was reported to be moving at a very slow pace for several kilometres, with commuters facing delays of around five to six hours. One of the severely affected stretches was reportedly between Noida Sector 62 and Dasna, where a large volume of vehicles contributed to prolonged traffic snarls.

The congestion created difficulties for motorists travelling towards Ghaziabad, Meerut and other destinations along the route. The Delhi-Meerut Expressway is an important road link connecting Delhi with Ghaziabad and Meerut, while also serving commuters travelling between the national capital region's major urban centres. The surge in festival-related travel significantly increased the number of vehicles using the expressway and adjoining routes on Thursday, putting additional pressure on the road network.

The traffic situation was not limited to the expressway. Several major roads connecting Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad also witnessed heavy congestion. With commuters travelling in large numbers before Raksha Bandhan, traffic volumes rose across several parts of the National Capital Region, resulting in longer travel times and slow movement at multiple points. The festival rush was also driven by people heading to markets to purchase sweets, gifts, clothing and other items associated with Raksha Bandhan celebrations.

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As shopping activity increased, streets and commercial areas also saw a significant rise in footfall and vehicle movement. The combination of intercity travel and local shopping added to the pressure on roads across the region. Raksha Bandhan is traditionally marked by the tying of a rakhi by sisters on their brothers' wrists, followed by family gatherings and celebrations. The festival often leads to increased movement of people between cities and towns as families travel to spend time together. In the Delhi-NCR region, such festive travel can place considerable pressure on major highways and arterial roads.

For commuters caught in Thursday's congestion, the unusually long delays disrupted travel plans and extended journeys that would normally take considerably less time. With traffic reportedly stretching for kilometres, motorists had to remain on the expressway for extended periods as vehicles moved slowly through the affected stretches. The heavy congestion underscores the scale of travel and shopping activity in the Delhi-NCR region ahead of Raksha Bandhan. As more people travelled to meet relatives and complete festival preparations, the resulting increase in traffic overwhelmed several key routes, with the Delhi-Meerut Expressway among the worst-affected corridors on Thursday evening.

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