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As Delhi braces for farmers’ stir, Section 144 in parts of city
Senior police officers said a high-level meeting was held over the weekend with the home ministry to discuss the protest
The Delhi Police on Sunday intensified security in and around Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) and imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in outer Delhi to prevent gatherings near city borders ahead of the scheduled Dilli Chalo march by farmers on February 13, police officers aware of the matter said. Section 144 may be extended to other districts as well, police added.
Senior police officers said a high-level meeting was held over the weekend with the home ministry to discuss the protest and the measures taken by police to avoid entry of farmers into the city. Officers from the special cell and the crime branch have been asked to keep a check on “anti-national elements” or “cyber threats”.
Police also put up additional pickets, barricades, roadblocks and other temporary and semi-permanent structures around the Tikri, Singhu and DND borders.
A senior officer, asking not to be named, said that the farmers were expected to attempt to enter the city via the Tikri border. “The border has been sealed. There is heavy deployment to ensure law and order. All vehicles crossing the border will be checked and roadblocks and concrete blocks have been put up to close entry,” the officer said.
Read more: Delhi Traffic Police issue advisory in view of proposed farmers' protest. Check details here
On Sunday, Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora, along with senior officers, visited the Tikri border to inspect the arrangements.
Restrictions and diversions were imposed at Singhu border from February 12 for commercial vehicles and from February 13 for all vehicles, Delhi Traffic Police said in an advisory issued on Sunday.
According to the advisory, interstate buses going towards Sonipat, Panipat and Karnal via NH44 will take ISBT to Majnu Ka Tilla to Signature Bridge to Khajuri Chowk to Loni Border to KMP via Khekra.
“Heavy goods vehicles going towards Bahadurgarh and Rohtak are suggested to take Outer Ring Road from Mukarba Chowk to Rithala... to Kanjhawala Road... to Jaunti Border/Nizampur Border and enter in Haryana Village Bamnoli and may go further go via Nahra-Nahari road to Bahadurgarh,” it said.
Vehicles from Delhi heading to Ghaziabad through the Gazipur border have been instructed to take Pushta Road in front of Akshardham or Mother Dairy road or Chaudhary Charan Singh Marg ISBT Anand Vihar and exit from Maharajpur or Apsara border in Ghaziabad.
HGS Dhaliwal, the special commissioner of police (traffic), said: “Commuters are advised to plan their journey accordingly and advised to avoid the above borders,” Dhaliwal added. The detailed traffic advisory was posted on X by the Delhi Traffic Police.
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An order signed by deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Joy Tirkey, said that farmers would also be approaching from Haryana, UP, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, apart from Punjab. “Keeping in view the kind of behavior and adamant approach farmers showed during protests in the past, there is a possibility of mobilization/activities of farmers/supporters from their respective districts to Delhi along with tractor/trolleys/arms etc.,” the order said.
Police are also using spike strips and iron nails on the roads to prevent trucks and trolleys from entering Delhi. At Singhu border, police have set up tents, loudspeakers and sound machines for the staff for announcements.
Police added that Section 144 has been imposed as a precautionary measure “to save the life and property in the area”, adding that other districts in Delhi were also following the order.
A DCP-level officer from Delhi Police headquarters said: “We have put up tents for our staff. We have also called paramilitary forces to help us. We are expecting farmers to come in huge numbers and have been told to ensure they do not enter Delhi”.
In 2020, thousands of farmers, led by different unions, staged protests at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders for more than 15 months against the three farm bills passed by the Parliament. However, in December 2021, the Centre repealed all three bills.
Police said the protests affected the lives of locals and businesses across borders as the farmers had set up tents and temporary shelters on the main roads. Traffic from Noida, Sonipat, Kundli and other parts of UP and Haryana had to be diverted to other roads and the entry of commercial vehicles was regulated hampering the transport of essential and non-essential services.
