The Delhi Police on Tuesday virtually locked down roads near Parliament by either completely closing or heavily barricading the streets leading to huge pile up of vehicles.
A senior police officer said, the Sikh protesters were allowed to lodge their protest as any police action against them was fraught with serious consequences. It could lead to several other complications. The protest was peaceful as senior police officers had managed to convince them to behave. We have decided to fortify this area in and around the Parliament House hence, new security check-points and barricades were put up, the official added. This arrangement is going to stay till situation becomes normal, he added.
A large number of police personnel, including those from Rapid Action Force (RAF), were also deployed near Home Minister’s residence on Krishna Menon Marg residence. It may be recalled that hundreds of Jats protesters had managed to force their way in the official residence of the Home Minister and that had led to several complications. The security audit of the lutyen’s Zone was revisited with Delhi Police enforcing tough measures in highly sensitive New Delhi district.
Portions of Rafi Marg, Rajendra Prasad Road, Talkatora, Rakabganj Road and Dalhousie Road, all leading to Parliament House were closed for vehicular traffic, causing traffic jams on all arterial roads. Those who used buses to reach Central Secretariat were caught unawares and had to walk down from Janpath as buses were diverted. Huge traffic snarls were reported from Ram Manohar lohia hospital, Gol Dak Khana and other areas.
A late night advisory issued by Delhi Police on Monday had said about the closure of Rafi Marg from roundabouts of Sunehri Masjid and Rail Bhawan. “Due to ongoing Parliament session, large number of VVIPs/ motorists are visiting Vijay Chowk, Parliament House, Rafi Marg and surrounding areas. Section 144 CrPC has been imposed. Rafi Marg has been closed from May 7 onwards,” Anil Shukla, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), had said in the advisory.
It was very much visible as Delhi Police enforced restrictions for vehicular movement on Rajpath and Vijay Chowk on Tuesday, leading to consternation among commuters but Delhi Police was unrelenting.