E-Paper
YPS Chowk logjam: A day before high court hearing, one side of key road link cleared
Major relief for commuters 241 days after Qaumi Insaaf Morcha laid siege to the crucial junction in Mohali on January 7
In major respite for commuters, one side of the road along Mohali’s YPS Chowk was thrown open for traffic on Monday, 241 days after Qaumi Insaaf Morcha laid siege to the major traffic lifeline on January 7.
DSP (City 2) Harsimran Singh Bal said, “Commuters heading from Chandigarh to YPS Chowk will find the stretch on the left, which connects the Sector 43/44/50/51 roundabout to YPS Chowk, accessible. The single stretch can be used by commuters moving both towards Chandigarh and towards Mohali.”
Police removed barricades around 5 pm amid tension, as morcha supporters accused cops of vandalising their tents. Heavy police force, from both Chandigarh and Punjab, were deployed to tackle any untoward situation.
Some people were rounded up after a scuffle broke out between cops and morcha supporters, while the former were removing tents and other encroachments from the road.
Following police action, the QIM supporters, including coordination committee members, Nihangs and volunteers from various Sikh and farmer organisations, shifted to the right side of the road.
A Nihang leader Raja Raj Singh maintained that they never blocked the road and it was the Chandigarh and Punjab Police who placed barricades on the road. He said the protest will not be lifted till their demands are met.
The respite came a day before the Punjab and Haryana high court was to hear the ongoing PIL from NGO ArriveSAFE, seeking removal of the protesters. On Sunday, a meeting between the morcha’s coordination committee members, and police and administration from both Chandigarh and Mohali was held on reopening the road before the court hearing on Tuesday.
During the last hearing on August 17, the court had given the “last opportunity” to the protesters and administrations of Chandigarh and Mohali to clear YPS Chowk.
Giving 15 days to resolve the issue, the high court bench of justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Harpreet Kaur Jeewan had posted the matter for September 5 and said the March 10 order of the high court be given effect in letter and spirit.
The court had observed that if authorities fail, the court will not hesitate in bringing in forces from outside the state for removal of protesters, the bench had orally observed.
On March 10, the court had ordered that all steps be taken to ensure that none of the roads leading to Chandigarh from Mohali district is, in any manner, allowed to be obstructed or hindered, leading to stoppage of movement of traffic, and putting life and property of the government and citizens at peril, apart from causing inconvenience to commuters on the roads.
Since January 7, the rotary, near the Chandigarh-Mohali border, had been blocked for traffic due to the protest by the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha that has been demanding release of Sikh prisoners, majorly hitting inter-city movement of traffic.
The NGO’s PIL was filed on March 10 and has been heard over a dozen time since then.
