LSN News › India

Business · India Bureau

Festive shopping surge paralyses Delhi traffic as Diwali deadline looms

Heavy congestion gripped major shopping districts across Delhi on Tuesday evening as residents made last-minute purchases ahead of Diwali celebrations. Bumper-to-bumper traffic snarled arterial roads and market areas throughout the capital.

LSN India · 4 November 2026

Festive shopping surge paralyses Delhi traffic as Diwali deadline looms

A wave of festival shoppers descended on Delhi's commercial hubs on Tuesday, overwhelming traffic infrastructure across the city's key retail destinations. Major shopping areas including Sarojini Nagar, South Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Karol Bagh, Kamla Nagar, Chandni Chowk and Rajouri Garden experienced significant congestion as crowds converged for last-minute Diwali acquisitions.

Traffic bottlenecks extended beyond traditional market zones, with serpentine vehicle queues backing up around Kashmere Gate, Hauz Khas and Defence Colony. The strain on road networks reflected the seasonal surge in consumer activity as the festival approaches, with vehicles inching forward through densely packed stretches during evening rush hours.

Visual reports from key intersections including ITO, South Extension and Dhaula Kuan documented prolonged traffic delays, with cars, buses, auto-rickshaws and motorcycles occupying roads at near-standstill speeds. Two-wheeler riders navigated the congested conditions by threading through narrow gaps between larger vehicles, adding to the chaotic scenes across the capital.