Delhi Metro services hit due to farmers protest; entry, exit gates at 6 stations closed
In view of “Delhi chalo”, a massive protest march by farmers from Punjab, Haryana and other parts of India, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Friday announced the closure of entry & exit gates at six metro stations on the Green Line. The Delhi Metro authorities had earlier announced that services from neighbouring cities will remain suspended on Friday
"Entry & exit gates of Brigadier Hoshiar Singh, Bahadurgarh City, Pandit Shree Ram Sharma, Tikri Border, Tikri Kalan and Ghevra stations on Green Line are now closed," the DMRC tweeted.
"As advised by Delhi Police, Metro services will be available only from Delhi towards the NCR sections. However, services from the NCR stations towards Delhi will not be available due to security reasons till further notice. However, metro services will be available from Delhi towards the NCR sections," DMRC had said.
The Delhi Police on Friday used tear gas shells to disperse a group of farmers who had reached the Singhu border as part of the protest march. The shells were fired at the border point which connects Delhi with Haryana. Security has been strengthened at the border and sand-laden trucks and water cannons have been stationed. Barbed wire is also being used for fencing at the Singhu border to prevent the protesters from entering the city.
Punjab farmers, representing over 30 farm bodies, have announced they will go to Delhi through several routes -- Lalru, Shambhu, Patiala-Pehowa, Patran-Khanauri, Moonak-Tohana, Ratia-Fatehabad and Talwandi-Sirsa. Tension was escalating at all the border points.
Farmers have assembled near the borders in tractor-trolleys laden with rations and essentials for their proposed Delhi march. Authorities in Haryana have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in several parts of the state to prevent assembly of the protesters.
The Farmers' bodies have said that they will hold a dharna wherever they are stopped from moving towards the national capital to demand the repeal of the new farm laws, which, they said, should be replaced with another set of legislations framed after wider consultation with the stakeholders.
The Delhi Police had on Thursday enhanced deployment of security personnel, stationed sand-laden trucks and water cannons and used barbed wire for fencing at the Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) to prevent the protesters from entering the city. Police were also deployed on Delhi's border with Faridabad and Gurgaon.
