With the Delhi Police grating permission to a 5,000 member group of protesting farmers under Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) for holding the ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ at the Ramlila ground in Delhi on Thursday, the Delhi Police has made elaborate security arrangements at borders so that no heavy vehicles including tractors are ‘sneaked’ inside the city. The traffic police have issued an advisory for the commuters to avoid roads leading to Central Delhi.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (central) M Harsha Vardhan said that farmers have been allowed to hold the ‘mahapanchayat’ with the gathering to not significantly exceed 5,000. He said the farmers have given them the undertaking where they were asked to not come with tractors, without any weapon and also promised that they will not hold any march in Delhi.
Individuals travelling to ISBT, Railway Station or Airport have been advised to plan their journeys with sufficient time in advance. A senior police official advised the general public to allocate ample time when scheduling road trips via the diverted routes.
The majority of farmers are expected to arrive by trains, while buses and four-wheelers will be adorned with window stickers and organisation flags to facilitate hassle-free transportation to and from Delhi. Once the farmers are dropped off, the vehicles will be parked in designated spots.
According to the SKM, more than 50,000 farmers from Punjab are expected to attend the event where a resolution will be passed to intensify the fight against policies of the Modi Government.
The umbrella body of farmers’ organisations, which had spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers’ protest at Delhi borders against the three central agriculture laws, stressed that it would be a peaceful gathering
The Police released a traffic advisory concerning the farmer’s protest, indicating that traffic flow at city borders will be impacted by picketing and checkpoints, and urged commuters to make appropriate arrangements.