NEW DELHI: The ongoing farmers’ protest against the new farm laws has led to massive traffic jams on the highways that connect Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad via Ghazipur and Chilla borders. Commuters faced long delays and diversions as the police and the authorities tried to manage the situation.
The farmers, who have been camping at various border points of Delhi since November 26, 2023, have announced a ‘Dilli Chalo’ march on February 14, 2024, to press for their demands. They are seeking the repeal of the three farm laws passed by the Parliament in September 2023, which they claim are anti-farmer and pro-corporate. They are also demanding a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
The police have beefed up security and barricaded the roads leading to Delhi from the neighbouring states. They have also banned goods-carrying vehicles from entering Delhi via the Greater Noida Expressway to prevent traffic congestion. However, these measures have not been enough to ease the traffic woes of the commuters, who have been stuck in long queues for hours.
According to the Noida Traffic Police, the worst affected areas are the Ghazipur border, the Chilla border, the DND flyover, the Mahamaya flyover, the Kalindi Kunj bridge, and the Yamuna Expressway. They have advised the commuters to avoid these routes and take alternative routes to reach their destinations. They have also issued a traffic advisory on their social media platforms, listing the alternative routes and the emergency vehicles that will be allowed to pass.
The traffic advisory is as follows:
Vehicles going to Delhi via Chilla Border can take 14A flyover to reach Golchakkar Chowk Sector 15, then proceed to Sandip Paper Mill Chowk, Jhundpura Chowk and then travel further to their destination.
Vehicles going to Delhi via the DND Border are advised to take the Filmcity flyover to reach Sector 18 and then proceed further to their destination.
Vehicles travelling to Delhi via Kalindi Border are advised to take the Mahamaya flyover to reach Sector 37 and proceed further from there.
Vehicles going to Delhi via Yamuna expressway are advised to go towards Khurja from Jewar toll and from there proceed further through Jahangirpur.
Vehicles travelling to Delhi via the Peripheral expressway to Sirsa, Parichowk can instead take the route towards Dadri, Dasna to reach their destination.
Emergency vehicles will be allowed to go towards secure destinations amid the traffic diversions.
The commuters have expressed their frustration and anger over the traffic situation and the farmers’ protest. They have appealed to the government and the farmers to resolve the issue as soon as possible and restore normalcy on the roads.
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