As thousands of farmers protesting against the three recent farm laws poured into the national capital on Friday, the city dwellers witnessed a traffic nightmare. Vehicles moved bumper-to-bumper on key roads after Delhi Police closed several border points with Haryana in view of the protesting farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march on Friday.
Roads leading to and coming from almost all Delhi borders as well as key crossings were locked with heavy traffic as Delhi Police created checkpoints and blockades to check the movement of farmers.
All entry points of Delhi from Haryana remained choked as Delhi Police tried to keep farmers out. However, a compromise was struck around 3 pm and farmers at the Tikri border were allowed to enter the city. They were escorted to a large open ground in North Delhi’s Burari. The ground has been allotted to farmers to stage their protest.
However, thousands of other farmers remain at borders. Farmer leaders at Singh border have said that the final site of agitation will be decided by all leaders of farmer unions after a meeting on Saturday morning. They decide to agitate in Burari or Singhur border or Tikri border, they said.
It means Delhi is most likely in for another traffic snarls day.
Here are the roads and routes to avoid on Saturday:
All roads leading to borders: Not just Haryana, but UP as well. Bhartiya Kisan Union protesters who are coming from Muzaffarnagar camped overnight at Daurala toll plaza at Meerut on Friday. They will resume their march on Saturday morning at 9 am towards Delhi. It means that Delhi borders are expected to be blocked by farmers from all sides. So, if you do not want to be stuck in traffic, avoid:
Roads leading up to and coming from:
Dhansa border
Jharoda Kalan border
Tikri border
Singhu border
Delhi-UP border near Dilshad Garden
DND
Kalindi Kunj border
Chilla Border
Tigri border
Bahadurgarh border
Faridabad border
Key roads:
Entire outer Ring Road
Grand Trunk Road
Carriageway from Peeragarhi towards Punjabi Bagh
Carriageway from Gurgaon towards Dhaula Kuan
NH-44
Key crossings:
Mukarba Chowk
Dhaula Kuan
FARMERS’ PROTEST
Farmers, representing over 30 farm bodies, had announced they will go to Delhi through several routes -- Lalru, Shambhu, Patiala-Pehowa, Patran-Khanauri, Moonak-Tohana, Ratia-Fatehabad and Talwandi-Sirsa -- to protest against the Centre's new farm laws.
They have been demanding the central government to repeal the contentious laws, which, they said, should be replaced with another set of legislations framed after wider consultation with the stakeholders.
Delhi Police had Wednesday refused permission to farmers' organisations to protest in Delhi on November 26 and 27, which led to a massive clash on Friday.
Eventually, by afternoon, the police allowed farmers to enter Delhi on condition that they will assemble at a designated ground in Burari in north Delhi. However, several farmers are yet to move from the borders and have said that they will decide on the future course of action for their protest on Saturday.