People throng tourist spots, religious places as India celebrates New Year

New Delhi, PTI: Large crowds flocked to shopping malls, entertainment centres and tourist spots and many visited the places of worship as people across the country celebrated the New Year on Wednesday. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and chief ministers of several states extended New Year greetings to people and wished for prosperity and harmony. In the national capital, several roads, especially near the India Gate and Connaught Place, witnessed massive traffic snarls and serpentine queues formed at key metro stations on the New Year’s Day.

Other key spots attracting large crowds included Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, Prachin Hanuman Mandir at Connaught Place, Akshardham temple, and Jhandewalan temple. According to a police officer, their main focus was on India Gate, Ashoka Road, Hanuman Mandir and Connaught Place. Kajal, who visited Qutub Minar with her family on New Year’s Day, expressed her frustration after waiting for over an hour to get entry tickets. “After waiting for so long, all our excitement has faded,” she said. The famous markets in Delhi also witnessed a large number of shoppers. In Maharashtra, the Mumbai police penalised more than 23,000 motorists for violating rules, driving drunk, and obstructing traffic during the New Year celebrations.

While traffic police penalised 17,800 vehicles and collected Rs 89,19,750 fine via e-challans, city police fined 5,670 motorists. A large number of people assembled at prominent places in Mumbai, including the Gateway of India, Marine Drive, and Juhu Chowpatty, to ring in the New Year. In his greeting, Prime Minister Modi hoped the new year brings “new opportunities, success and endless joy”. “Happy 2025! May this year bring everyone new opportunities, success and endless joy. May everybody be blessed with wonderful health and prosperity,” he said on X. Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also invoked the Constitution in their new year wishes urging everyone to remain oyal o it and nurture democratic values with resolve to keep nation first.