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Bharat Bandh: Farmers lay siege to key roads in Mohali, commuters bear the brunt
SKM and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU, Rajewal) activists blocked the Airport Road at the Singh Shaheedan Gurdwara intersection from all four sides, prompting Mohali traffic police to make alternative arrangements for traffic movements and forcing commuters to take long detours
Commuters were put to hardship as Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) laid siege to Airport Road, Patiala crossing and Kharar highway for several hours on Friday as part of its “Bharat Bandh”call from 12 pm to 4 pm.
SKM and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU, Rajewal) activists blocked the Airport Road at the Singh Shaheedan Gurdwara intersection from all four sides, prompting Mohali traffic police to make alternative arrangements for traffic movements and forcing commuters to take long detours.
Mohali SP (Traffic ) Harinder Singh Mann said, “We diverted traffic from intersections much before Singh Shaheedan Gurdwara to save commuters from hitting the blockade.”
Activists also blocked Kharar highway near the bus stand crossing. SKM and BKU (Rajewal) Mohali president Kirpal Singh said, “We made the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call in solidarity with the farmers who are protesting against the central government’s stubborn attitude. They have made plans to suppress the farmers’ progress by not agreeing to their demands. We will continue holding protests to press our demands.”
While there was lukewarm response to the bandh call in Mohali city, SKM activists forced shopkeepers to down shutters in parts of Kharar, Zirakpur and Dera Bassi.
Even in Chandigarh, shops remained open as per routine. Chandigarh Beopar Mandal president Charanjiv Singh said, “It was farmers’ call and since the demands were not related to traders, no bandh call was given to markets. Hence, every shop was running as per routine.”
Dappar, Azizpur toll plaza also closed by farmers
Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) also forcibly closed toll plazas falling in Mohali district during the bandh call, making passage free for commuters. The SKM made this move to show solidarity with farmers protesting at Shambhu and Khanuari borders, condemning lathicharge by Haryana Police on the farmers.
In Mohali, they captured toll plazas at Azizpur on Zirakpur-Banur highway and Kharar for four hours. Toll plaza at Dappar was also made free of traffic.
Bus commuters hit hard
It was a challenging situation for bus passengers in Chandigarh on Friday, as bus frequency drastically dropped during “Bharat Bandh” hours. Travellers bound for Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Shimla and other destinations faced extended delays of more than two to three hours in catching buses from ISBT-43 and ISBT-17.
ISBT-43, the hub for bus services connecting Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand via Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu Kashmir, experienced a significant shortage of inter-state buses. While a limited number of Chandigarh Transport Undertaking buses operated on these routes, their frequency was notably scarce. Around 850 government buses enter the bus terminal daily.
PRTC and PUNBUS buses destined for various locations in Punjab were not in operation, leading commuters heading towards Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Ludhiana, Moga, Bathinda and other stations across the state were forced to wait for hours.
Chandigarh Transport buses were operating from ISBT-43, but the frequency was low. An official from Chandigarh Transport Undertaking at ISBT-43 mentioned that their buses were in operation across Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal. However, there have been reports from drivers claiming that they were halted mid-journey, with some even returning halfway.
Subhrah and Elizabeth, residents of Ludhiana, waited for a bus to Ludhiana for two hours after visiting their relative at PGIMER. They also explored the option of taking a train, but unfortunately, there were no trains available during that time.
Another traveller, waiting for a bus to Hoshiarpur, expressed frustration, stating that he worked in Chandigarh and had taken leave to visit home for the weekend. However, he had been waiting for more than two hours for a bus.
A comparable scenario unfolded at ISBT-17, serving bus services for Delhi, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan. Commuters endured prolonged waiting times, as Haryana buses were in operation but lacked proper adherence to their schedules.
Fakir Chand, who came to PGIMER for treatment, waited two hours for a Kurukshetra bus at ISBT-17. Despite knowing about the bandh, he had no other option due to an emergency, he said.
In Mohali, too, state transport and private players remained off-road in support of the farmers’ agitation and “Bharat Bandh” call.
