A large number of commuters going towards Haryana and Delhi had a harrowing time on Monday as Haryana's main opposition party INLD's workers blocked the entry of vehicles coming from Punjab at several places.
The vehicles were stopped, including on the Delhi-Ambala highway, as part of a day-long protest by the INLD over the SYL issue.
Despite the police assuring a smooth flow of traffic, hapless commuters could be seen facing harassment with the blockade of roads at different places including Shambhu toll plaza near the Ambala-Shambhu border, Lalru -Chandigarh road and Dabwali on Haryana-Punjab border.
Seeking construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal to get Haryana's share of water, INLD leaders and workers squatted on the roads, placed tyres and even parked their own vehicles and tractors at several places to disrupt vehicular movement in an over five-hour long protest.
"I faced a lot of problem in reaching my destination in Haryana. There was an emergency because of a death in the family. We were forced to pass through villages to reach the destination," rued a man in a car near the Shambhu border.
After blocking the way, INLD workers gave flowers to commuters with a message that they should ask Punjab government to give water to Haryana.
Police said traffic snarls were also witnessed at six places - two at the Ambala-Chandigarh national highway, two in Fatehabad and one each in Jind and Sirsa districts.
Led by senior INLD leaders including party general secretary and Leader of Opposition, Abhay Chautala, INLD activists gathered at various protest points in the morning.
They forced closure of the Shambhu toll plaza near the Ambala-Shambhu border disrupting movement of traffic, following which Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed at the site.
Punjab's Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) did not ply its Haryana and Delhi-bound buses in the wake of protest.
The INLD held protest at many points from 10 am till 3 pm, including the Lalru-Chandigarh road, Ambala-Shambhu border, village Datasinghwala of Narwana constituency in Jind district, Ratia-Budlahada road (Jakhal point) in Fatehabad district and Dabwali on Haryana-Punjab border.
The party claimed that their protest was peaceful, adding that services of emergency vehicles like ambulances were not stopped.
Haryana and Punjab had deployed security personnel in strength near the protest points to maintain law and order and facilitate traffic.
Amid confusion, traffic diversions were effected at various points.