If your Friday evening is in central Delhi, plan accordingly. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is holding a “Lehra Do Tiranga” rally at Central Park in Connaught Place today, and the area is under heavy security, with traffic curbs expected from the afternoon.

What is happening and when

The CJP’s gathering is scheduled for 5 pm on Friday, 16 October, at Central Park in Connaught Place. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) announced on Thursday that Central Park would remain closed to the public on 16 and 17 October for “administrative reasons”.

Traffic advisory

The Delhi Traffic Police have warned that vehicle movement on roads around Connaught Place is likely to be affected from 3 pm on Friday because of the proposed gathering. The roads named in the advisory include, among others:

• Kasturba Gandhi Marg
• Janpath
• Rafi Marg
• Mandi House
• Patel Chowk
• Windsor Place
• Gole Dak Khana
• Ashoka Road, from GPO to C Hexagon
• Tilak Marg
• Tolstoy Marg
• Sikandra Road

Motorists have been asked to follow the instructions of traffic personnel and check official Delhi Traffic Police updates before travelling through the area. If you are heading to Connaught Place or passing through it this evening, allow extra time or use an alternative route.

Security arrangements

A heavy security presence has been put in place. Deputy Commissioner of Police (PRO) Neha Yadav said prohibitory orders are already in force in Connaught Place and nearby areas to protect public safety and property. One report puts the deployment at more than 30,000 police personnel, though we have not seen that figure confirmed by Delhi Police.

Why the CJP called this rally

The rally follows a tense week for the party. Its leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five days’ judicial custody in Tihar over their alleged entry into Jantar Mantar, which had been de-notified as a protest site. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has said that the two were jailed for waving the national flag, and the party has framed the Tiranga rally as a response. The police’s position is that the pair were arrested for trespass and breach of a peace bond, and the courts have not ruled on the CJP’s claims.

Who else is involved

The Aam Aadmi Party has backed the proposed gathering. Separately, concerns raised by traders at Palika Bazaar have reached the Delhi High Court, according to reports. We have not seen the court’s response in what we reviewed, and we will update this when we do.

What commuters and residents should do?

• Avoid Connaught Place and its connecting roads from about 3 pm if you can.
• Check the Delhi Traffic Police’s official social media accounts for live updates.
• Expect delays on the roads listed above and on approach roads.
• If you need to reach Connaught Place by metro, check for station-specific advisories from the Delhi Metro, since I could not confirm any closures.
• Follow police instructions and keep photo ID with you.

What happens next

The key questions are how many people turn up, whether the rally stays peaceful and within the rules, and how the police and administration respond.

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