AB Vajpayee's funeral: Traffic not allowed on these roads

New Delhi, Aug 17: Several roads in the national capital will be closed for the public in view of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's funeral, the Delhi Traffic Police said on Thursday. Vajpayee's last rites will be performed at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal at 5 pm today.

The procession will pass through Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Delhi Gate, Netaji Subhash Marg and Shanti Van to reach Rashtriya Smriti Samadhi area where the BJP leader will be cremated at 5pm.

Some of the roads that will be closed from 8 am are

Krishna Menon Marg, Sunehri Bagh Road, Tughlak Road, Akbar Road, Tees January Marg, Man Singh Road, Bhagwan Dass Road, Shahjahan Road and Sikandara Road. DDU Marg, IP Marg, BSZ Marg (from Tilak Bridge to Delhi Gate), JLN Marg (from Rajghat to Delhi Gate) will also be closed, the traffic police said.

Commuters have been advised to use Aurobindo Marg, Safdarjung Road, Mother Teresa Crescent, Park Street, Mandir Marg to travel between north and south Delhi. Those travelling between east and west Delhi can use Vikas Marg, Shahdara Bridge and Wazirabad Bridge to reach Ring Road.

The body of the BJP veteran is kept at his official residence at 6A, Krishna Menon Marg. BJP chief Amit Shah said people can pay their homage to the departed leader at his residence from 7.30 am to 8.30 am today.

The body would then be taken to the BJP headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg at around 9 am, he told reporters outside the late leader's residence.

The funeral procession would leave the BJP headquarters at 1 pm and the last rites would be performed at 5 pm, Shah said.

Vajpayee (93) passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday after a prolonged illness.