Lucknow: Despite massive crowds of devotees and general public in the city, traffic in Lucknow remained smooth on New Year’s Day, thanks to meticulous planning and proactive deployment by the police. Police Commissioner Amarendra Sengar held a special meeting with traffic and city police officials to strategize and analyze traffic pressures across different areas of the city in anticipation of the New Year celebrations.
High Influx of Devotees and Citizens
On the first day of 2026, large numbers of people visited not only hotels, malls, and tourist spots but also four major temples: Hanuman Setu, Khatushyam Mandir, Mankameshwar Mandir, and Hanumant Dham. According to estimates, around 500,000 devotees offered prayers at these temples, while approximately 100,000 vehicles were on the move.
Notably, this year, citizens preferred visiting their deities over tourist attractions on New Year’s Day. Additionally, two large fairs – Katki Mela and Uttarayani Mela – drew crowds from various religious communities, increasing traffic pressure around Hanumant Dham (Parivartan Chowk) and Nadwa Bandha Mod (near Hanuman Setu, Khatushyam, and Mankameshwar Mandirs).
Traffic Management Strategies and Effectiveness
The affected areas are densely populated with narrow roads, which generally experience congestion even on normal days. Despite the influx of over 100,000 people and vehicles, traffic flowed smoothly. The police had pre-planned the New Year traffic arrangements, deploying personnel actively across police stations, traffic departments, offices, and key areas.
Even at the city zoo, where the crowd was so high that some counters had to be temporarily closed, traffic remained normal at major intersections and thoroughfares, including 1090 Chowk, Dainik Jagran Chowk, Samatamoolak Chowk, IGP Chowk, Bhitoli Tiraha, Shaheed Path, Lucknow-Ayodhya Road, Raebareli Road, Kanpur Road, Purvanchal Expressway, Kisan Path, and other key routes.
Key Directives from the Meeting
- Coordination and Planning: Police teams to coordinate with relevant departments (LDA, PWD) to finalize action plans.
- Diversion Plans & Additional Forces: Deployment of extra police forces (10 racer mobiles and 42 unit personnel) and preparation of diversion maps to ease traffic pressure.
- Parking Management: Entry and exit from parking areas to be managed via multiple routes; strict enforcement of no-parking zones, with cranes and towing arrangements enhanced.
- Road Maintenance: Road engineering issues to be addressed in coordination with the municipal corporation and relevant departments.
- Business Cooperation: Hotels, malls, and other commercial establishments to collaborate for smoother traffic flow.
- Event Management: Adequate traffic marshals to be deployed prior to approvals for any event.
- Green Corridor Review: Preliminary inspection of upcoming green corridor routes to anticipate challenges and plan solutions.
- Public Awareness: Citizens to be informed 3–4 days in advance via print and social media about parking, diversions, and alternative routes.
Preparation for Future Challenges
The Commissioner emphasized that, as the state capital, Lucknow regularly witnesses significant events alongside routine movement of VIPs and citizens. Sufficient police personnel deployment is critical to ensure smooth traffic. Additional manpower has been requested to handle upcoming challenges efficiently.
