Farmers’ protest stalls city

Respite from incessant rainfall could hardly bring any relief to Delhiites on Thursday. Traffic clogged all major roads leading to the Parliament as thousands of disgruntled farmers led by the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) took part in a massive rally to protest the acquisition of their land for the Yamuna Expressway.

Respite from incessant rainfall could hardly bring any relief to Delhiites on Thursday. Traffic clogged all major roads leading to the Parliament as thousands of disgruntled farmers led by the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) took part in a massive rally to protest the acquisition of their land for the Yamuna Expressway.

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In some places, including Delhi Gate, Ramlila Maidan, Ajmeri Gate, New Delhi Station, Minto Road and Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, traffic came to a standstill.

The farmers’ rally at Jantar Mantar caused massive traffic jams in Barakhamba Road, Tolstoy Marg, KG Marg, Janpath and Parliament Street, said traffic police sources.

“The traffic flow was brought to normal by the afternoon and people did not have to suffer much,” said Ajay Chadha, Special CP (Traffic).

Apart from affecting other emergency services, the farmers’ rally did not spare even ambulance services.

The worst hit hours, when most ambulances crossing Rajiv Chowk and its adjoining areas such as Janpath, Jantar Mantar, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Barakhamba Road were caught in excessive traffic jams, were between 12.30 to 3pm.

“In Delhi, even on a normal day, ambulances do not have a smooth ride. With a massive rally of 15,000 people, obviously vehicles were stuck for unusually long hours,” said Dr T.S. Sidhu, medical superintendent, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.