Ghaziabad witnessed heavy traffic on Thursday evening as people stepped out ahead of Raksha Bandhan. Major roads saw a sharp rise in vehicles as residents left for their homes and relatives’ houses.
The Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) was among the worst-affected routes. Videos recorded from high-rise societies near the expressway showed long lines of vehicles moving slowly.
The rush was driven by two factors. Many people were returning from offices, while others had already started travelling for the festival. This led to much heavier traffic than usual.
Why Did Traffic Slow Down at DME Exit?
One of the main trouble spots was the exit of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. The road narrows sharply at this point. Traffic from an eight-lane stretch is reduced to just two lanes. This creates heavy pressure as a large number of vehicles try to pass through the narrower section.
The bottleneck caused long queues on Thursday evening. Vehicles moved slowly near the turn, adding to the congestion on the expressway.
This video is not from China or America.
There is a massive traffic jam on the Delhi–Meerut Expressway in Ghaziabad. This is the outer area of Ghaziabad, near the Dasna Cut, yet thousands of vehicles can be seen crawling through the traffic.#Ghaziabad #DelhiMeerutExpressway pic.twitter.com/L4SMmN9G9j
— The Click Buzz (@theclickbuzzon) August 27, 2026
NH-09, Lalkuan and GT Road Also Hit
Traffic was not limited to the DME. NH-09 also saw slow movement, particularly between Dasna and Mehrauli Cut. Several other major roads were affected as the festival rush spread across the city. These included Lalkuan, GT Road, Ambedkar Road and Meerut Tiraha.
At several points, vehicles had to move at a reduced speed. The situation became more difficult as traffic from congested routes moved towards alternative roads.
Traffic Police Deploy Teams, Use Diversions
The traffic police had issued an advisory ahead of Raksha Bandhan. Teams were deployed on major routes and intersections to manage the additional rush.
Diversions were also introduced at some locations where traffic pressure increased. However, this also added vehicles to alternative routes. Traffic personnel continued efforts through the evening to clear bottlenecks and keep vehicles moving.
Traffic Remains Slow Till Late Evening
Despite these efforts, traffic remained slow on several major roads until late evening. The DME and NH-09 continued to see heavy vehicle movement. Lalkuan, GT Road, Ambedkar Road and Meerut Tiraha also remained affected.
The Raksha Bandhan rush once again highlighted the pressure created when large volumes of traffic meet narrow road sections. On the DME, the shift from eight lanes to two lanes became a key point of congestion as thousands of vehicles travelled for the festival.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
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