Delhi Traffic Police issues advisory in wake of farmers' protest
Leaders of agitating farmer unions are on a hunger strike today and are set to hold protests in all district headquarters to press their demand for the repeal of the new farm laws. While the farmers have warned of intensifying the stir in coming days amid a deadlock in talks, several Union Ministers have repeatedly alleged that the farmers’ protests have been hijacked by Maoists, Leftists and anti-national elements, a charge denied by the union leaders spearheading the agitation.
Here are the latest traffic updates
- Gazipur border is closed for traffic coming from Gaziabad to Delhi due to farmers protests. People are advised to take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Chilla, Apsara and Bhopra borders
- Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Sabholi and Mangesh borders are closed. Commuters are advised to take alternate routes via Lampur, Safiabad and Singhu school toll tax borders
- Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK road
- Commuters are also advised to avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK road, NH-44
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on December 16 a plea seeking a direction to authorities to immediately remove the farmers who are protesting at several border points of Delhi against three new farm laws, saying commuters are facing hardships due to the road blockades and the gatherings might lead to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.
According to the apex court website, a bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian will hear the plea filed by law student Rishabh Sharma, who has also sought directions to authorities to open the roads at Delhi's borders, shift the protesters to the allotted place and provide guidelines on social distancing and use of masks at the protest site to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, are currently staying put at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh 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.
They have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations.
However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.
As more protestors have headed to Delhi with a large group blocking the key Delhi-Jaipur national highway, the Delhi Traffic Police have issued advisories for commuters.
