The Delhi Traffic Police, on Sunday, conducted a drive against illegal encroachments and improper parking on Aurobindo Marg on Friday, in an effort to decongest one of South Delhi’s key arterial roads. The operation was led by the Southern Range Traffic Unit under Hauz Khas Circle.
Aurobindo Marg, a vital north-south stretch connecting Delhi to Gurugram, had increasingly become a hotspot of congestion due to widespread encroachments by vendors, hawkers and illegally parked vehicles, including private cars, auto-rickshaws and taxis. In some stretches, even shopkeepers had extended their commercial areas onto the road, significantly narrowing the carriageway and obstructing pedestrian access, officials said. The special enforcement operation was conducted under the overall supervision of Shri Kushal Pal Singh, DCP Traffic Southern Range, along with Shri Rajender Kumar, ACP Traffic South, and Shri Basant Kumar, Traffic Inspector, Hauz Khas Circle. According to official data, the crackdown led to the issuance of 761 challans for improper parking, the towing of 10 vehicles and the removal or seizure of 85 items encroaching on public space. Civic agencies including the MCD, NDMC and local police authorities coordinated closely to ensure the operation’s success.
“The initiative was undertaken to restore the road’s intended capacity and ensure the safety of commuters and pedestrians,” said an official statement. “Encroachments had reduced the usable road width to such an extent that even walking was becoming difficult for
citizens.” Officials confirmed that photographic documentation was collected for all removed encroachments and that traffic movement showed marked improvement following the drive. The move also received support from local residents, many of whom had long expressed concern over deteriorating traffic conditions on the stretch. The Delhi Traffic Police stated that similar drives will continue across the Southern Range as part of a sustained campaign to remove unauthorised structures and ensure unimpeded access to public roads.
