Barricades go from road near Capt Amarinder Singh’s house; Patiala residents happy

Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 21

Residents heaved a sigh of relief when makeshift barricades on a road leading to the residence of Capt Amarinder Singh were removed here today. The road from the YPS roundabout to Capt Amarinder Singh’s residence had been blocked by the police for months owing to various protests.

The decision to open the road is said to have come after the resignation of Capt Amarinder Singh from the post of Chief Minister. Protesters have announced that they would not hold protests there as Capt Amarinder Singh is no longer the Chief Minister of Punjab.

Besides, the people living near the former Chief Minister’s residence were a happy lot after the opening of the road because they had to go the extra mile to reach their residences. The devotees, who wanted to pay obeisance at Moti Bagh Gurdwara, were also affected.

The residents said that it was a big nuisance as they were harassed daily due to the road blockade. Karan, a resident of Bharpur Garden, said, “It felt like a cage we had been staying in because the road was blocked from both sides. We had to reach the residence from other side of the colony.”

Another resident said the road remained blocked even if there were no protests at the YPS roundabout. He said sometimes roads inside the colonies were also barricaded by the police.

Meanwhile, the Passey road in the city, which was also blocked from several weeks due to protests, is now open for commuters.