Farmers’ Protest: Red Fort shut for visitors, barricades used to seal access

Tourists visiting the Unesco World Heritage Site in Old Delhi on Tuesday were disappointed, and were seen clicking pictures through the fences.

New Delhi: Three years after the historic Red Fort was stormed by thousands of farmers agitating over farm laws in January 2021, the complex on Tuesday was temporarily closed for visitors and its access points were sealed shut citing security reasons in the wake of the farmers’ protest march to the national capital.

The main access point from Chandni Chowk towards the Red Fort complex was further fortified with at least six layers of buses, goods carriers, metal barricades and cement barriers. (HT Gallery)

The main access point from Chandni Chowk towards the Red Fort complex was further fortified with at least six layers of buses, goods carriers, metal barricades and cement barriers.

Tourists visiting the Unesco World Heritage Site in Old Delhi on Tuesday were disappointed, and were seen clicking pictures through the fences.

“The Red Fort has been completely closed. The police closed it due to security issues in view of the farmer’s protest,” said Praveen Singh, superintending archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

A senior Delhi Police officer said, “Keeping in view the incidents that took place at the Red Fort in 2021, adequate security arrangements have been put in place.”

The outer periphery of the Red Fort has a massive deployment of police and paramilitary forces. The archways located at the entrance of the monument near Lahori Gate and the connecting road above the moat around the rampart were sealed with layers of yellow barricades, container trucks and concertina wires.

A police official on the site said the security measures are likely to be in place for another week. When asked about the reopening of the 17th-century monument, the official said, “The decision will depend on the updates in security situation.”

Laxman Gundla, 42, a tourist from Andhra Pradesh and was visiting Delhi with his family, said, “There was no prior announcement that the site will be closed. Children wanted to see the Red Fort. We will try and come back later.”