What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: In a massive relief to thousands of daily commuters, the Delhi Police on Friday initiated the works of removing the barricades placed at the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders, which were kept there since November 26 last year to stop the protesting farmers to enter the national capital.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh have been camping at the three borders since November 26 last year demanding the repealing of the three farm laws, which have dubbed as black laws and also ensuring proper minimum support price for their produce.
The move from the Delhi Police comes in the wake of a recent judgement by the Supreme Court that stated “farmers have the right to oppose the Centre’s agriculture regulations, but they cannot block highways forever”. READ & WATCH: Bring Yogi To Bring Modi; Shah Sees 2024 In 2022, Stays Overnight With MPs In Tow At Lucknow BJP Office After Parivar Meet
On Friday morning, Delhi Police personnel were spotted removing the concrete wall and sharp nails that were installed at the three borders.
Following the Supreme Court’s comments, farmers began cleaning a section of the route on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway near the Ghazipur border. Even Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait was seen removing the iron barricades himself at the Ghazipur border earlier this week.
Speaking to The New Indian over phone, East Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Priyanka Kashyap said, “We have removed the barricades from our side (that is from Ghaziabad to Delhi) and we are hopeful that the vehicular traffic will be available soon.”
She said that it is a positive step by the Delhi Police for the general public.
Even a senior Delhi Police official wishing not to be named said, “There is no traffic movement at Tikri border as it is still closed. We have just removed a few obstacles, the rest are still there. But we are hopeful that the vehicular traffic will be started in the next one or two days.”
Ashish, a daily commuter who travelled from Ghaziabad to Delhi’s Hauz Khas, was also happy with the actions of the Delhi Police.
He said, “It is a welcome step. I have to spend around two hours to reach my office as the route at the Ghazipur border was diverted due too the farmers protest. So now my travel time will reduce.”
Meanwhile, the step by the Delhi Police officials gave the Petrol Pump owners a sigh of relief.
Rajeev Jain, the official spokesperson of the Diesel Petrol Pump Dealers Association told The New Indian that “Since the roads were closed all this while, we were stuck between farmers and the police barricading. Since there was no point writing to the farmers, we repeatedly wrote to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police to help us with alternate methods to sustain our livelihoods, but all our requests went unanswered.”
Jain said that there are six petrol pumps at Singhu Border and five in Tikri, which employed a total of 400 people, out of which 350 left for their village. We had zero access to the customers and have been in complete loss for the past 11 months.”
