Fortified Delhi chokes due to traffic congestions

NEW DELHI: Commuting in the national capital Delhi was even more troublesome for a second day today due to heavy barricading of roads and traffic diversions from several roads in view of the farmers’ protests.

According to media reports, southern, eastern and central parts of the national capital witnessed heavy traffic congestions. The traffic situation was worsened due to the continuous closure of the Ghazipur border, NH-24, Delhi-Meerut Expressway and NH-9.

Delhi traffic police posted on their official Twitter handle: "Ghazipur border is closed. Traffic diverted from NH 24, NH 9, Road no 56, 57 A, Kondli,Paper Market, Telco T point, EDM Mall, Akshardham and Nizammudin Khatta. Traffic is heavy on Vikas Marg, IP extention, NH 24. Please commute from other borders."

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The Delhi-Noida Chilla border was opened for vehicular traffic just recently after being closed due to the farmers' protests for two months. 

Delhi Police has fortified the three epicentres of farmers' protest -- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur -- with multi-layer barricades, heavy deployment of personnel, roads cemented with nails, concrete walls erected between barriers, barbed wire etc since Monday.

The city has been fortified days after violent clashes broke out between some protesters and the police personnel on January 26 during a tractor rally by the protesting farmers. Violence was also reported from the Singhu border between farmers and a group of people who claimed to be locals, which has been the epicentre of the farmers' protests for over two months.

The farmers, demanding the repeal of three contentious farm laws, have called a nationwide chakka jam on February 6.

A trench was also dug up a little away from the highway and cement barricades were installed on both sides.

At the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, Ghazipur looked like a battlefield with heavy security deployment. Personnel of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) have deployed on particular spot.

At Tikri, several layers of barricades have been installed and nails have been cemented on the road. Drones were used to monitor the area as thousands of farmers of Bharatiya Kisan Union camping in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Delhi Police commissioner SN Srivastava and other senior officers visited Ghazipur border yesterday to take stock of the security arrangements.