BRICS Summit 2026: Delhi metro timing change, roads to avoid, and all you need to know

Commuters in Delhi should brace for traffic jams, diversions and restrictions as the national capital hosts a large number of visiting leaders and delegations during the BRICS Summit this weekend.

Metro services to start early on Sunday

Delhi Metro train services will begin at 6 am on all corridors on Sunday, instead of the usual later start on some lines, to facilitate the movement of students appearing for examinations and the general public amid traffic restrictions.

"To facilitate the smooth and timely movement of students appearing for examinations and the general public amid traffic restrictions due to the BRICS Summit, Metro train services will commence at 6 am on all lines on Sunday," the DMRC said in a post on X.

Normally, services on the Pink, Magenta and Grey lines begin at 7 am on Sundays.

The DMRC has advised students and other passengers to plan their journeys accordingly.

Connaught Place

Delhi residents can continue to shop and dine at Connaught Place during regular market hours.

The New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA) on Thursday clarified that the Connaught Place market will not be shut during the summit.

"Connaught Place market is open from Friday to Sunday during the BRICS summit in Delhi. However, with traffic restrictions in place, customers are advised to follow the traffic advisory to reach the market," NDTA Joint Secretary Amit Gupta said.

The Delhi Metro Museum at Supreme Court Metro Station, however, will remain closed from September 11 to 13, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said. It will reopen on September 15, as September 14 is its weekly holiday.

Roads likely to face restrictions

Delhi Traffic Police has said commuters should expect temporary stoppages, diversions and restrictions whenever VVIP convoys move through the capital.

More than 35 roads could be affected during the summit period.

• Mathura Road
• Sardar Patel Marg
• Shanti Path
• Janpath
• Ashoka Road
• Barakhamba Road
• Tolstoy Marg
• Africa Avenue Road
• Niti Marg
• Panchsheel Marg
• APJ Abdul Kalam Road

Traffic will continue to move normally wherever security arrangements permit, officials said.

However, stoppages during the movement of foreign dignitaries will not have a fixed duration and vehicles will be released in phases depending on the security situation and prevailing conditions on the ground.

The impact could be particularly noticeable for commuters travelling between Noida and central Delhi, east Delhi and central areas, and Dwarka and west Delhi towards Dhaula Kuan, the airport and south Delhi.

Why traffic restrictions could be extensive

A visiting leader could travel between the airport, hotel, Bharat Mandapam, bilateral meetings and other engagements, resulting in 70-80 or more high-security movements across the city in a single day, officials said.

Each movement requires traffic regulation, access restrictions and coordination along the route.

The city got a preview of the arrangements on Wednesday evening when a motorcade rehearsal caused prolonged delays at several locations.

Traffic was regulated at 22 diversion points during the exercise between 7 pm and 10 pm.

Autos, taxis to operate

Autos, taxis and app-based cab services will continue to operate, but their movement into controlled or restricted areas and their pick-up and drop-off arrangements could be affected.

Traffic police have advised commuters to check traffic advisories before beginning their journeys and allow additional travel time.

Candidates appearing for UPSC, NDA, CDS and other examinations have been advised to check their examination centres and routes in advance, carry their admit cards and identification documents and leave sufficiently early.

People travelling to hospitals for planned appointments have also been advised to allow extra time and check their routes beforehand.

In case of a genuine medical emergency, commuters should immediately inform nearby traffic personnel, officials said.

Heavy security in the capital

Delhi has been placed under a heightened security arrangement as India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam.

Around 15,000 Delhi Police personnel, 200 companies of paramilitary forces and more than 500 CCTV cameras have been deployed as part of the arrangements.

Security measures cover the airport, hotels where foreign dignitaries are staying, Bharat Mandapam and other locations on their itinerary.

In the New Delhi zone, more than 500 CCTV cameras, including high-resolution cameras, along with facial recognition and vehicle number plate-reading systems, will provide round-the-clock surveillance through a monitoring room, officials said.

Delhi Police has conducted surveys of identified routes and held coordination meetings with multiple agencies and neighbouring states.

Leaders arriving for BRICS summit

The two-day summit, hosted by India from Saturday, is expected to focus on strengthening collective resilience in areas including food, energy, health, disaster reduction and critical supply chains.

The meeting is taking place against the backdrop of geopolitical and economic challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the West Asia crisis and the Trump administration's trade and tariff policies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India on Friday for a three-day visit to attend the BRICS summit and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on expanding bilateral trade, investment and energy cooperation.

It will be Putin's first in-person participation at a BRICS summit outside Russia since the Ukraine war began in February 2022.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung are among the leaders attending the summit.