New Delhi:
The Delhi Police has scaled up security by deploying extra personnel and putting in place multi-layered barricades at various border points in view of the call given by farmers to intensify their protest against the Centre’s new agri laws and block the Jaipur-Delhi highway on Sunday. Thousands of farmers have been protesting at various border points of Delhi for over two weeks, demanding repeal of the new farm laws. They said major highways linking the national capital will be blocked from Sunday and they will sit on a hunger strike on December 14, when they have called for a nationwide protest Adequate arrangements have made and these include multi-layered barricades and deployment of extra personnel. Measures have also been taken to ensure commuters do not face inconvenience at places were protest are being staged, a senior police officer said. The Delhi Traffic Police has deployed its personnel across important border points to ensure commuters do not face difficulties and is also constantly updating people about open and closed routes on its Twitter handle.
The developments come after farmer leaders on Wednesday rejected a government proposal to amend the new agri laws and announced that they would intensify their agitation by blocking the Jaipur-Delhi. In a tweet, the Delhi Traffic Police informed commuters about the closure of the Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari and Mangesh borders on Saturday. Since these borders are closed, it suggested that motorists take alternative routes via Lampur, Safiabad, Saboli and Singhu School Toll Tax border.
Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK Road. So, commuters have been advised to avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK Road and National Highway-44, the Traffic Police said. Due to the ongoing farmers’ protests, it said both the Chilla and the Ghazipur borders are also closed for traffic from Noida and Ghaziabad.
”The Chilla & Ghazipur borders are closed for traffic from Noida & Ghaziabad to Delhi due to farmers protests.People are advised to take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anad Vihar, DND, Apsara & bhopra borders,” it tweeted. The Tikri and the Dhansa borders are also closed for traffic movement but the Jhatikara border is open only for two wheelers and pedestrian movement, the traffic police said in another tweet.
Those going towards Haryana can take Jharoda (only single carriageway), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders as they are open, the traffic police said. The government had asked farmer groups to consider its proposals for amending the laws to address their concerns and said it was open to discussing its offer further whenever the unions want.
Farmers leaders on Thursday had announced that they would block railway tracks across the country if their demands were not met by the government. On Saturday, farmer leaders said they are ready to hold talks with the government, but will first discuss repealing the three new farm laws. They also announced that representatives of their unions would sit on a hunger strike during a nationwide protest on December 14.
They said that thousands of farmers will start their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march with their tractors from Rajasthan’s Shahjahanpur through the Jaipur-Delhi Highway at 11 am on Sunday. They said their mothers, sisters and daughters will also join them soon, and that arrangements for their stay are being made at the protest sites. At least five rounds of formal talks have taken place between the Centre and representatives of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, protesting on various borders of the national capital for over two weeks, but the deadlock has continued with the unions sticking to their main demand for the repeal of the three contentious laws.
