Farmers’ stir blocks key routes, leads to snarls

There was no relief in sight for commuters from long traffic snarls as thousands of farmers continued to camp out on the borders of Delhi, blocking key entrances to Delhi for the seventh day on the trot.

While the police have kept the Haryana-Delhi border at Singhu and Tikri closed for traffic, the protest at Ghazipur, the city’s border with U.P., led to the closure of a key route connecting Delhi with the State for the second consecutive day.

“The Chilla border on Noida link road is closed for traffic due to farmers’ protests near Gautam Budh Dwar. People are advised to avoid Noida link road for going to Noida and use NH-24 and DND instead,” the traffic police tweeted.

Two more border points connecting Delhi with Gurugram and Jhajjar-Bahadurgarh were also closed as precautionary measures.

The traffic police said the borders at Tikri, Jharoda and Jhatikra were closed for traffic movement. The Badusarai border was open only for two-wheelers. Available open borders to Haryana are Dhansa, Daurala, Kapashera, Rajokri NH-8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera, they said.

As traffic spilled over to alternate routes, it led to long jams there as well.

The police also closed Kalindi Kunj border after receiving inputs that farmers might gather there.

“Barricades were put up and security was enhanced as a precautionary measure,” a senior police official said.

“Traffic movement closed at Kalindi Kunj Border [both carriageway]. Kindly avoid the stretch,” Delhi Traffic Police tweeted from its official handle.

However, after farmers did not arrive at the Kalindi Kunj border, it was opened for traffic.

The protest against the new farm laws is set to continue as the critical talks between three Union Ministers and farmer groups ended in a stalemate on Tuesday after they rejected the government’s suggestion of a new committee to look into issues raised by agitating farmers.

The two sides, however, decided to meet again on Thursday.