Massive traffic snarls at borders
Samad Hoque
New Delhi, February 13
As farmers began their march towards Delhi today, the police sealed NH-44 at the Singhu border. Heavy police barricading has been deployed, leading to traffic snarls at the Ghazipur and Delhi-Noida Chilla borders.
Commuters faced a harrowing time due to traffic jams.
In view of the farmers’ march, the Delhi Traffic Police had issued a traffic advisory outlining diversions around the Singhu border. The advisory stated traffic restrictions and diversions at the Singhu border for commercial vehicles on February 12 and all vehicles on February 13.
Nearby residents could be seen witnessing the fortress that the Singhu border has been turned into.
A Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) worker said, “The police are not allowing us to pass through. I have finished my duty and I need to go home and get rest, but the police are not allowing me to pass. I have to go to Panipat. How am I supposed to go? Besides, police personnel are misbehaving as well.” Traffic has been diverted from the Singhu border and detour is available on a kaccha road.
A commuter said, “Detours are available on smaller roads and the number of vehicles that pass through the area will lead to a massive traffic congestion on narrow roads.”
On their way to deliver orders, three Porter (app based delivery service) drivers were stuck due to road blockades.
One of the drivers, Jitendra, had picked up a courier from Wazirabad and had to deliver it to Kundli. All three drivers had to drop their packages in Kundli.
Ashok Lal, a driver, said, “We called our customers to pick their parcels from the Singhu border as we cannot pass through. We will incur losses because as we can’t reach the destination. However, we don’t want to get stuck there.”
Ravita, a local resident, said, “I have sent my daughter to school in Rohini, but I don’t think I can continue to send her to school because we don’t know when the roads will get closed or what will be the situation when farmers arrive. My son has also gone to college in Delhi. It’s better to let them stay at home rather than being stuck.”
Will incur losses
We called our customers to pick their parcels from the Singhu border as we cannot pass through. We will incur losses as we can’t reach the destination. However, we don’t want to get stuck there. — Ashok Lal, a driver carrying parcels
