Farm laws repeal: Motorists hope agony of taking detours to avoid blockade at border points will end

New Delhi, November 20  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of repealing the farm laws has kindled hope among commuters, motorists and commercial vehicle operators in Delhi for an end to their agony of taking detours during interstate travel to avoid the farmers’ protest sites.

Due to the stir, vehicles bound for Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir have to take an alternate route via the KMP Expressway due to the blockade at the Singhu border point. They are required to pass by Jharoda and Sapla to avoid the Tikri border, according to Shyam Lal Gola, the president of All India Luxury Bus Union.

Vehicles have to go via Vaishali—Noida sec 62 and from there through Pari Chowk to reach Ghazipur, he said.

Hundreds of farmers have been camping at important stretches of Delhi’s borders in Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur since November 2020, demanding the repeal of the three contentious farm laws.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Centre will repeal the three farm laws, marking a climbdown by his government to meet the unrelenting demand of the farmers.

“If the border points are opened, hours of delay due to detours and passing through patchy single roads in villages and towns can be avoided. Also, there will be a big saving on fuel,” Gola said.

Amit Goel, a businessman, said, “Opening the border points will help thousands of commuters in Ghaziabad, Delhi, Noida.”                

Bhagat Ram, a grocery shop owner in south Delhi said to get supplies from neighbouring states vehicles have to pass by villages at the Singhu border and face traffic jams on the way. The poor condition of roads further delays their journey, he said.

Pranav Mishra, an IT professional, said, “The Delhi GT Karnal road where the agitation is going on was the best route for travelling and one could reach their specific destination on time especially when it’s a medical emergency.”

“But with border closed, we have to take alternative routes and pass by risky roads that could cause damage to cars or cause accidents. So, these roads, which have been occupied for a year, should be immediately opened.”       

A senior traffic police official said they will wait for the calls given by farmer groups. “If the farmers clear the protest sites, obviously borders will be opened.” 

Last month, one side of the Rohtak-Delhi highway at the Tikri border was opened for vehicular traffic after a meeting was held by the Delhi Police with farm leaders, officials said.

Also, the barricades and concertina wires that were put up at the anti-farm laws protest site in Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border have been removed, they added. —PTI