Delhi NCR on Independence Day: Metro starts at 4am; Red Fort traffic curbs run till 10am

At 4am on Saturday, 15 August, Delhi Metro services will commence for Independence Day 2026, according to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). The early start is intended to facilitate special guests, invitees and the general public attending the Independence Day Celebration.

For anyone travelling towards the Red Fort, the other clock to watch is 10am. Delhi Traffic Police said traffic restrictions, diversions and vehicle-movement regulations connected with the Red Fort celebrations will be in force from 4am to 10am, citing public safety and convenience.

Plan the early journey

The 4am Metro start gives early travellers a public-transport option before the Red Fort-area traffic measures begin. DMRC’s announcement specifies the commencement time, but does not provide route-by-route operating details in the information available.

Likewise, Delhi Traffic Police has confirmed the 4am-to-10am window for restrictions and diversions, without listing individual closed roads, diversion routes or parking arrangements in the advisory information available here. If your plan involves the Red Fort area, allow for the possibility that normal vehicle movement may be regulated during that period rather than relying on a usual driving route.

No DTC service hours are specified in the information available for this guide. The Transport Department of the Government of NCT of Delhi is responsible for public-transport policy, coordination, implementation, monitoring and regulation in Delhi, but it has not supplied a DTC Independence Day timetable in the material provided.

Keep these numbers saved

For traffic assistance, Delhi Traffic Police lists its 24x7 control room at **+91-11-25844444** and **1095**. Delhi Police also lists traffic helplines **1095** and **25844444**.

For an emergency, Delhi Police lists **112** as the 24x7, toll-free Emergency Response Support System number. Its Railways helpline is **1512**.

If you are heading out early, check your Metro entry point and save **1095** before leaving: the Red Fort traffic measures begin at the same 4am hour as the Metro service.