Farmers announce blocking Delhi-Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad highways

News Agencies

New Delhi: Farmers protesting at Delhi’s borders on Sunday announced that they will gherao the capital by blocking three highways connecting the capital to Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad.

Till Sunday, only Singhu border and Tikri border were blocked by the farmers.

The farmer groups from Punjab and Haryana, who had marched up to Delhi on Friday but were not allowed to enter the city, have been camping at Singhu (Delhi-Haryana) border and Tikri border for the past three days. On the same day, the police offered the protestors Sant Nirankari ground to continue their agitation but the farmers refused the offer asking for Ramlila Maidan, which is closer to the Lutyens’ Delhi.

On Sunday, holding a press conference at Singhu border, farmer leader Surjeet Singh Phul said they have decided that instead of going to the Burari ground, they will block three other highways leading to Delhi — Jaipur-Delhi highway that connects Gurugram to Delhi, Hapur-Delhi highway that connects Delhi with Ghaziabad and Mathura-Delhi highway that connects Faridabad to Delhi.

The border blockage also resulted in traffic snarls in many parts of Delhi. Traffic police posted real-time traffic situations to alert commuters.

In one of its advisories issued Sunday evening, traffic police tweeted, “Singhu border is still closed from both sides. Please take alternate route. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba Chowk and GT Karnal Road.Traffic is very very heavy. Please avoid outer ring road from Signature bridge to Rohini & vice versa, GT Karnal Road, NH 44 and Singhu borders.”