Markets & public transportation largely unaffected amid peaceful Bharat Bandh

New delhi: A nationwide strike called by farmer unions against the Centre's agri laws received a mixed response in Delhi on Tuesday with most marketplaces, businesses and transport services operating, even as more protesters converged at the national capital's borders to join the farmers' stir while authorities maintained tight security.

Chants of "Jai Kisan", "Humara bhaichara zindabad, Kisan ekta zindabad", "Tanashahi nahi chalegi" rent the air as farmer leaders gave rousing speeches at the protest sites, vowing to continue their agitation.

Police said that there were no major fresh protests in the city except in some Delhi border points, but traffic diversions were made on some routes as a precautionary measure.

Protesting farmers had blocked key roads and occupied toll plazas from 11 am and 3 pm on Tuesday as part of their call for a 'Bharat Bandh' to press for repeal of the new farm laws.

Most of the markets, including Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazar, in the city, remained open amid group patrolling by police personnel to maintain law and order. However, there were not many customers.

Praveen Khandelwal, general secretary of the Confederation of All India Traders, claimed transport services and markets functioned normally in the national capital and other parts of the country, and that the 'Bharat Bandh' had no impact on such activities.

"Trading activities were normal in Delhi markets that were open despite the Bharat Bandh. It was business as usual in all the wholesale and retail markets. Transport of goods is also taking place normally," Khandelwal and CAIT Delhi president Vipin Ahuja said in a statement.

Adil Khan, chairman of APMC Azadpur Mandi, said the market was almost closed. However, many wholesale vegetable markets such as the one in Okhla were running. SP Gupta, APMC chairman of Ghazipur Mandi, said the market was open but many traders have closed their shops to support the strike. Trading is negligible because there are no customers, he added.

"Many wholesale trader associations have joined the 'Bharat Bandh'. Some trucks loaded with vegetables and fruits arrived, but no work is being done there," Khan said.

Shopkeepers at Delhi's Sarojini Nagar market tied black ribbons around their arms to express solidarity with the farmers' demand.

Also, public transport services in the national capital remained largely unaffected during a Bharat Bandh' even though some auto and taxi unions kept their vehicles off the roads in support of the shutdown.

Kamaljeet Gill, the President of Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi which represents drivers working with app-based cab aggregators, claimed most of its members were on strike.

"There are around four lakh app-based cabs in Delhi-NCR. Most of our members are on strike," he said. Many users of app-based cab services though said they did not face much difficulty in booking rides.

Autorickshaws were also easily available on the roads, said some other commuters.

Sanjay Samrat, the President of Delhi Taxi Tourist Transporters Association, said drivers associated with several unions including those affiliated to Delhi State Taxi Cooperative Society and Kaumi Ekta Welfare Association were on strike.

"Our strike in support of Bharat Bandh has been successful," claimed Samrat.

The members of striking auto and taxi unions held an 'Akhand Paath' at Bangla Sahib gurudwara praying for the wellbeing of farmers and drivers, he said. However, other auto and taxi unions claimed the strike did not have any impact on transport facilities in Delhi.

Shops near the Tikri border, where hundreds of farmers have been staying for the last 13 days, remained open amid heavy police deployment. All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) general secretary Hannan Mollah called the 'Bharat Bandh' a show of strength by the farmers and said their legitimate demands have found support from people across the country.

While the Delhi Police had already closed many borders in light of the blockades and diverted traffic, they also had to make special arrangements for the Bandh on Tuesday.

At around 1 pm, traffic police in a tweet said, "Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari and Mangesh borders are closed. NH 44 is closed." Alternate routes for the same are Lampur, Safiabad, Saboli and Singhu school toll tax border, they added.

"Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba & GTK road. Please avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK road and NH 44," traffic police said in a tweet.

Also at the Chilla Border, both carriageways remained closed and commuters were advised to take DND for Noida and take New Ashok Nagar road for Noida.

After 3 pm, the borders that were open to going towards Haryana were Bijwasan/ Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera, as per Delhi Traffic Police.

Also at the Ghazipur Border, the carriageway from Delhi to Ghaziabad was thrown open to commuters while the one towards Delhi remained closed.

"The situation in the Capital is peaceful...the markets are open and there is normal movement of public on the roads and traffic is moving as usual on all the important roads," Special CP (Law and Order) Satish Golcha said in a press conference on Tuesday.