According to the New York Times, the high-profile presence of President Obama in the city, for the annual UN General Assembly event, will aggravate the traffic congestion situation - there usually is a multi-day gridlock in midtown Manhattan during the days the event is scheduled, and this time round it might be at its worst!

Already, the mass transit systems of the city have been placed on 'high alert', amid fears an Afghanistan-born immigrant, who is under arrest in Colorado, may have been conspiring to blow up backpack bombs in the New York City trains.

As a result of the tight security arrangements in the city, New Yorkers will find closed streets surrounding the United Nations complex, with the sidewalks around President Obama's close-by hotel literally clogged with security personnel.

The President - appearing on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" on Monday - extended an apology to the New Yorkers for traffic congestion and the inconvenience caused to them by his motorcade.

Meanwhile, the main General Assembly meeting, which opens Wednesday to discuss climate change, will witness the participation of over 100 leaders from around the globe. The leaders have been invited by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, with the expectation of generating political impetus for critical December talks in Copenhagen, pertaining to a new global treaty to curb global warming.