Activists of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and Congress supporters, including local leaders, created hubbub at DND toll plaza by freeing open the toll gates.
Noida Police was caught napping as 300 rabble-rousers from BKU and Congress struck root on DND Flyway. More than 10,000 vehicles plied during the free hours, causing an estimated revenue loss of Rs3 lakh to the toll operator.
On Monday morning, farmers reached DND toll plaza and sat on dharna near the toll lanes. They parked around two dozen buses and automobiles at the plaza demanding passage of the land acquisition Bill in favour of farmers and allowing them a permanent free ride through the toll gates. They also threatened to step up their agitation if their demands were unmet.
“We will not sit in silence till our demands are considered,” said Dhirendra Singh, a Congress leader, leading the farmers protest rally on Monday. Meanwhile, due to the farmers’ stir, vehicular movement on the carriageway was paralysed. Traffic was gridlocked between Ashram in New Delhi and Film City in Noida. Vehicles inched along the 7.5 km stretch.
The local administration intervened, mollifying the disgruntled farmers.
“We have received a memorandum from the farmers and will escalate it to the top brass,” said an official.
Expressing discontent over the hullabaloo, the DND management had a lot to gripe about. “It is illegal that they (farmers) have been posing threats on a regular basis. We are fed-up with the protest held by the farmer’s organisation. We are collecting toll charges as per agreement with Noida Authority. The BKU should place its demands before the district administration instead of occupying the plaza,” said Anwar Abbasi, spokesperson, DND Flyway.
This is not the first isolated incident of freeing open the toll gates by BKU and other local unions this year. They have forcibly occupied DND and Jewar toll plaza on Yamuna Expressway in April, May and August as well.