Farmers’ protest: Delhi Traffic Police suggests alternate routes for commuters

The government is holding talks with farmers, who have called for a Bharat Bandh on December 8 and threatened to occupy toll plazas.

With farmers protesting against the new farm laws staying put at the national capital’s borders, Delhi Traffic Police on Sunday advised people to take alternative routes for entering and exiting the city. The traffic police took to Twitter to inform commuters about alternative routes open for travelling to the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Tikri and Jharoda borders are closed for traffic movement but Badusarai border is open only for light motor vehicle like cars and two wheelers. (PTI)

It advised those commuting to Delhi to come via the Delhi–Noida Direct or DND Flyway instead of Noida Link road. Chilla border on Noida Link road is closed for traffic from Noida to Delhi due to the farmers’ protest near Gautam Budh Dwar. “The Ghazipur border on NH 24 is closed for traffic from Ghaziabad to Delhi due to farmers’ protests. People are advised to avoid NH 24 for coming to Delhi and use Apsara/Bhopra/DND for coming to Delhi,” Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.

Tikri and Jharoda borders are closed for traffic movement but Badusarai border is open only for light motor vehicles like cars and two-wheelers, it added. “Singhu, Auchandi, Lampur, Piao Maniyari, Mangesh borders are closed. NH 44 is closed on both sides,” the police said.

It advised commuters to take alternate routes via Safiabad, Saboli, NH8, Bhopra, Apsara borders, and Peripheral expressway. People travelling to Haryana can take Dhansa, Daurala, Kapashera, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan, Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders, the police said.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and other parts of the country have been camping at Delhi’s borders for the past 10 days to demand a repeal of the agriculture reform laws. They continued their sit-in demonstrations on Sunday against the three farm laws enacted by the government after the fifth round of talks between their leaders and Union ministers failed to break the impasse.

Farmers worry these laws will eliminate the safety net of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and do away with mandis that ensure earning. But the government says the MSP system will continue and the new laws will give farmers more options to sell their crop. The government is holding talks with farmers, who have called for a Bharat Bandh on December 8 and threatened to occupy toll plazas.