Traffic restrictions in place at Delhi borders, security beefed up

New Delhi: Determined to stop farmers’ march from entering the national capital, authorities in Delhi on Monday fortified the border points and banned large gatherings to avoid a breach of the law and order situation.

Besides massive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel equipped with anti-riot gears, multiple layers of barricades, concrete blocks, iron nails and walls of containers have been put up at three border points - Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur.

Makeshift jails have also been set up at “specific locations” in view of farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on Tuesday, an official said.

The Delhi Police is also using drones to keep a tight vigil, the official said, adding that they are fully prepared to deal with any situation.

As traffic restrictions and security measures came into force, the motorists had a hard time commuting between Delhi and NCR towns.

More than 200 farmers’ unions are scheduled to march to the national capital on February 13 to press the Centre for accepting their demands, including enactment of a law to guarantee a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

The Delhi Police has imposed Section 144 for a month, banning the assembly of five or more people, processions or rallies and entry of tractor trolleys carrying people in the city in view of intended widespread tension and “social unrest” due to the farmers’ protest march.

The order issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora came into effect on Monday and will be in place till March 12.

It stated that as far as congregation and procession relating to weddings, funerals and other religious functions is concerned, prior permission is required from authority concerned.

During their protest in 2020, farmers from different states, mainly

Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, had staged sit-in at the three border points.

Riding tractors and other vehicles, the farmers had sat at the three border points from August 2020 to December 2021.

In 2020, the police had to rush the logistics to check the entry of the farmers moving in procession of tractors.

A senior Delhi Police officer said that learning from past experience, tight security arrangements have been made this time.

The police have also sealed rural roads bordering Haryana to stop the protesters from moving ahead to enter Delhi.