New Delhi, June 17 -- Traffic movement on Tuesday was thrown into complete chaos across parts of south-east Delhi after authorities shut the Ring Road section between Maharani Bagh and Ashram Chowk to undertake pipeline repairs.

Commuters were stuck for hours as vehicular movement came to a grinding halt on Mahatma Gandhi Road, Mathura Road, Eastern Avenue, CV Raman Marg and other arterial roads. Vehicles moving from Sarai Kale Khan and Noida-DND towards Delhi were hit the hardest and many motorists rued poor traffic management and agency coordination, which they claimed made matters worse.

A senior Delhi Jal Board official said a major 1,200mm sewage line near Ashram Chowk was leaking and it had caused the road to settle near the major...