No relief for vehicular movement in Delhi as farmers’ stir enters Day 16

On Saturday, the protesting farmers will block the Delhi-Jaipur highway and have organised a nationwide protest on Monday. They also threatened to block all railway tracks across the country.

The Delhi Traffic Police on Friday said that the Tikri and Dhansa borders would continue to remain closed for all traffic movement as the farmers’ agitation against the central government’s farm laws entered day 16. On Saturday, the protesting farmers will block the Delhi-Jaipur highway and have organised a nationwide protest on Monday. They also threatened to block all railway tracks across the country.

Thousands of farmers have been camping at Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Chilla (Delhi-Noida) border points for nearly two weeks. (Ajay Aggarwal/HT Photo)

Through a series of tweets, the Delhi Traffic Police stated, “Traffic Alert:Tikri, Dhansa Borders are closed for any Traffic Movement. Jhatikara Borders is open only for two-wheelers and pedestrian movement.”

The police also pointed out that only a single carriageway was open for vehicular movement on the Jharoda border with Haryana adding other borders open with the neighbouring state were Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH-8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar, and Dundahera.

Meanwhile, the number of protesters in the national capital and surrounding states is increasing every single day as farm unions are requesting more and more farmers to participate in the fight against the agricultural reforms passed by the Parliament in September.

Thousands of farmers have been camping at Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Chilla (Delhi-Noida) border points for nearly two weeks. The Delhi Police on Friday morning said that two IPS officers leading the police force at the Singhu border- which is the largest protest site- tested positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) disease along with a DCP and an additional DCP.

So far, five rounds of talks have been held between the protesting farmers and Union ministers. Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar once again urged farmer leaders to resume talks.

“The government is ready to consider with an open mind any provision in the new laws where farmers have any issues and we want to clarify all their apprehensions,” Tomar said while addressing a press conference on Thursday.

(With agency inputs)