Heavy traffic jams choke Delhi-NCR borders due to ‘Bharat bandh’ protest by farmers

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The ‘Bharat Bandh’ protest by farmers’ unions against the Centre’s three agriculture bills on Monday disrupted traffic movement across the national capital and its borders with vehicles queuing up for more than two kilometres as farmers blocked the Delhi-Meerut Expressway.

Farmers also gathered at the Delhi Noida flyway and the Gurugram-Delhi border was heavily choked with hundreds of vehicles stuck on the road due to checking by police.

Due to heavy traffic jams, the Delhi Traffic Police closed several routes and made diversions to facilitate commuters.

ALSO READ: Bharat Bandh: Rahul Gandhi voices support for farmers, slams government as ‘exploitative’ Keeping in mind the Red Fort incident on January 26, Delhi Traffic Police closed traffic movement on Red Fort including both carriageways Chhatta Rail and Subhash Nagar. Besides, traffic movement is closed on both carraigeways at the Dhansa border.

“Due to the Bharat bandh protest, the local police closed the following points: Netaji Subhash Marg: both carriageways with Jersey barriers at Chhatta rail junction, Netaji Subhash Marg carriageway (Red Fort–Dariyaganj) from T point, Subhash Park carriageway (Dariyaganj –Red Fort) at khas cut near Kabutar Market,” said the traffic police.

Ghazipur border was also closed for traffic from both sides due to the protest via NH 9 and NH 24. “Commuters wishing to commute to and from UP may use DND, Vikas Marg, Signature Bridge, Wazirabad etf. Traffic of NH 24 and NH 9 has been diverted on road number 56 to take Maharajpur road, Apsara, Bhopura borders from UP,” said police.

The Bharat Bandh was started from 6 am and will continue till 4 am.

“Since 6 in the morning, images of farmers groups keeping vigil on deserted highways and empty markets have been pouring in from all over the country. This response nails the lie of the government’s propaganda and shows how solidly the people of India stand with the farmers in their historic struggle,” said Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of 40 kisan unions.