India, Oct. 2 -- Traffic in large parts of the capital ground to a standstill on Wednesday as festive rush turned roads into parking lots, leaving commuters trapped for hours in what many residents called a "traffic emergency". The Delhi Traffic Police -whose primary job is to manage traffic and keep the city moving - were conspicuously absent from the clogged intersections.

All day on Wednesday - not just during peak hours - there were reports of heavy congestion across the city, particularly impacting the Okhla-Noida link road, NH48 towards Dhaula Kuan, Outer Ring Road, and Ring Road, as well as adjoining areas like Savitri Flyover, Chirag Dilli, Greater Kailash, Nehru Place, Moolchand, Hauz Khas, Khanpur, Ashram Underpass, Mukarba Cho...