Traffic movement along the Noida-Greater Noida expressway resumed on Monday evening after hundreds of farmers, who had gathered for a "Delhi Chalo" march over various demands, agreed to vacate the protest site. The relief for motorists came just before the evening rush hour and tested the persuasion skills of the authorities who managed to convince the representatives of the Bhartiya Kisan Parishad (BKP) and supporters of other farmers’ organisations to give them one week to look into their demands. The farmers temporarily shifted their protest to Dalit Prerna Sthal (Ambedkar Park) on Noida Link Road but threatened to resume their march towards the national capital, if their demands were not met on time. The suspension of the stir allowed the removal of barricades and the restoration of normal traffic.
Earlier in the day, heavy traffic jams have plagued the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway throughout the day on Monday as police set up multiple barricades in view of the farmers' protest march towards the national capital.
According to farmers’ leader, they have agreed to retreat, for now, following talks with officials from Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA). While giving the officials one week’s time to accept their demands, the protesting farmers decided to camp at the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida. The farmers claimed they would march towards Delhi if their demands were not met within a week.
Earlier, the Supreme Court has asked Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point to press for the acceptance of farmers' demands, to persuade the protesting farmers not to obstruct highways and cause inconvenience to people.
Visuals showed a long queue of vehicles in several parts of Delhi-NCR amid heavy security deployment and police barricading. A video posted on social media shows cars moving at a snail's speed on the Chilla border, while on the DND, all vehicles in at least 10 lanes seem to be at a standstill. The police set up barricades at Charkha Chowk near Amity University and then at Mahamaya Flyover and Dalit Prerna Sthal on the stretch.
Farmers gathered at the Mahamaya flyover on the Dadri-Noida link road and began their march around 11.30 am to press their demands for land allocation and increased compensation for their lands acquired by the government, among other things. The protest call was given by the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad (BKP). According to the BKP, farmers from 20 districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Aligarh and Agra, took part in the march.
Carrying banners and flags of various farmer groups, hundreds of protesters crossed the initial barricades erected by Noida Police. While some climbed over the barricades, others pushed them. They were finally stopped by police near Dalit Prerna Sthal on Noida Link Road, around 1 km from the Chilla border, an entry point to Delhi. Senior police officers tried to pacify the protesting farmers. Due to the farmers protest and checking by police, commuters travelling via Chilla border, DND flyway, Delhi Gate and Kalindi Kunj faced heavy traffic for hours. To ensure the farmers did not proceed to Delhi, the police conducted thorough checks on all vehicles.
A senior police officer said checking was underway at the borders and drones were being used for surveillance. Additional Commissioner of Police (east) Sagar Singh Kalsi said, "We have made adequate arrangements in east Delhi borders and have taken all precautionary measures, including anti-riot equipment. We are using drones for vigilance and are also coordinating with traffic police for smooth vehicular movement in the area."
Aprajita Singh, a resident of Greater Noida, said the barricades put up at the Chilla border were causing major inconvenience to commuters. "It took me about an hour to get through that stretch. The police set up barricades on both sides of the Delhi-Noida border, causing significant traffic congestion, especially on the carriageway heading from Noida to Delhi," she said.Joint Commissioner of Police (southern range) SK Jain said they are also coordinating with the Noida Police.
"We have two key borders in the southeast district -- the DND border and Kalindi Kunj. Since there is section 163 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) imposed in the New Delhi area and also Parliament is in session, protests without permission are strictly prohibited."To manage this, we have increased security at both the borders. Proper barricades, jersey barriers and hydra cranes have been deployed. We will stop those who will try to enter forcefully," he stated.
Currently, the situation at the border is normal and traffic movement is underway, Jain added.
Another commuter, Amit Thakur of Noida, said he took the metro instead of his car to get to work. "When I checked the traffic situation before heading to my office in central Delhi, it showed heavy congestion near the Chilla border, adding an extra hour of travel time. So, I decided to take the metro instead," he said. A group of farmers from Punjab, led by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), has called for a march towards Delhi on December 6. The group has been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana sinceFebruary 13.
