Traffic restrictions in place at Delhi borders ahead of farmers' march

Traffic restrictions have been put in place and security arrangements intensified at the Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri borders in the national capital ahead of the farmers' proposed 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 13.

The borders have been fortified with concrete blocks and iron nails to prevent vehicles carrying protesters from entering the city.

The measures affected traffic movement in the border areas of Delhi on Monday morning, causing inconvenience to commuters.

Several farmer associations, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, have called for the march on February 13 to demand a law guaranteeing MSP for their produce, one of the conditions they had set when they agreed to withdraw their agitation in 2021.

Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora visited the city's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on Sunday to check the security arrangements.

According to an advisory issued here, traffic restrictions have been imposed for commercial vehicles at the Singhu border since Monday. Tuesday onwards, the restrictions apply to all types of vehicles, it said.

Police have deployed more than 5,000 security personnel while cranes and earthmovers carrying large containers to block the road were also at work.

Multiple security barricades have already been installed at the borders to stop the farmers from entering the national capital. Nails have been erected on roads so that if the protesting farmers try to enter the city on vehicles, their tyres can be punctured, the officials said.

Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) have been enforced in the northeast district of Delhi to maintain law and order.