Traffic hit as farmers bang plates for PM
New delhi/noida: Due to the ongoing farmers agitation against farm laws, Delhi Traffic Police on Friday told commuters coming from Chilla and Ghazipur to take alternate routes as these borders are shut for traffic coming from Noida and Ghaziabad to the national Capital. As per the Delhi Police, "The Chilla, Ghazipur borders are closed for traffic coming from Noida and Ghaziabad to Delhi because of farmer protests. People are advised to take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Apsara, Bhopra and Loni borders."
Police added that Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Saboli and Mangesh borders are closed. Commuters were advised to take alternate routes through Lampur, Safiabad, Palla amd Singhu school toll tax borders. Traffic was diverted from Mukarba and GTK road.
According to police, Tikri, Dhansa borders are closed for any traffic movement. "Available open borders to Haryana are Jharoda (only single carriageway, road), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan, Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders," an official said.
The Delhi Traffic Police on Friday also informed travelers about closing of the NH-44 on both sides in the national Capital region. As per police, NH-44 beyond the Singhu border has been closed for general traffic. "Vehicular traffic going to Haryana from NH-44 via Palla Red Light is diverted from NIIT to Holambi road and DSIDC road to pass through Lampur Border, Safiabad Border. And other diversion is from U-turn near DSIDC and Singhu village cut towards Singhu School Toll Tax," police said.
Meanwhile, scores of farmers protesting against the Centre's agriculture laws here on Friday rang bells and banged plates in a demonstration timed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech.
The beating of plates, ringing of bells amid sloganeering against the government for not repealing the three new laws was done at the Dalit Prerna Sthal here to convey farmers' dissatisfaction, a by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) functionary said.
Today again, PM Modi did 'apne mann ki baat' (spoke his own mind) and did not listen to 'kisanon ke mann ki baat' (farmers' point of view). Farmers are demanding that the new laws should be repealed and the minimum support price (MSP) for crops be made a law, BKU (Lok Shakti) spokesperson Shailesh Kumar Giri told.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday squarely blamed those with political agenda for the deadlock in the Centre's talks with protesting farmers and asserted that his government is willing to hold dialogues with all, including those staunchly opposed to it, as long as talks are based on farm issues, facts and logic.
Meanwhile, members of another farmers' faction, BKU (Bhanu) stayed put at the Chilla border for the 25th day on Friday in protest against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
The Noida-Delhi link road via Chilla remained partially closed on Friday also, allowing only commuters from Delhi to Noida but not the other way round, officials said and suggested alternative DND and Kalindi Kunj routes for travelling between the
two cities. (With inputs from PTI)
