Noida in knots as farmers stopped on way to Delhi

NOIDA: Long queue of vehicles clogged Noida roads including the expressway alongside Dalit Prerna Sthal on Friday evening after Delhi Police banned the entry of vehicles moving towards Delhi via DND flyway to stop farmers from western Uttar Pradesh who were on their way to a protest march in Jantar Mantar.

Traffic snarls began after 2pm when the police stopped vehicles without any intimation or planning. The diversion left thousands of commuters stranded on various connecting roads.

Later, vehicles going towards Delhi were diverted to Chilla and Noida gate by Noida police. “We are managing as much as we can. Vehicles going towards DND were diverted to Chilla gate and Kalindi Kunj while the farmers were stopped at DND gate,” said Anil Kumar Jha, traffic inspector, Noida.

The major roads that remained clogged for at least three hours in the evening included the one towards Film City flyover from Sector 18, both lanes of Noida-Greater Noida expressway alongside Dalit Prerna Sthal and the connecting roads in Sector 15, 16 and 18.

Jha told TOI that the farmers had started gathering near DND toll since afternoon. “However, large groups with tractor-trolleys and buses started arriving only at the peak hours in the evening after which the situation soon got out of hand,” said Jha.

Meanwhile, most commuters remained clueless for almost an hour after which a few of them left their cab and opted for a metro. “I was going towards AIIMS from my home in Sector 29 for which I had booked a cab. However, it got stuck in traffic on Rajnigandha underpass after which I have left it and now going to catch a metro,” said Shikhar Mishra, a Noida resident.

The farmers, after being prevented from entering Delhi, said they would be staying at DND till the government agrees to their demands.

In Delhi, jams were reported on the ring road starting from Lajpat Nagar flyover, as vehicles going towards DND were diverted to NH-24 and asked to take the Noida link road to reach Dadri main road. Some were also diverted towards Mayur Vihar through DND and asked to take the link road to Noida.

Additional PRO, Delhi Police, Anil Mittal said the fiasco continued till evening as the protesting farmers sat on the DND crossing refusing to move until they were allowed to drive tractors till the Parliament. “We offered to take them to Ramlila maidan for the protest and even arranged for buses. But they refused to board. Following this, we had to close a part of the road,” said Mittal.

Manoj Tewatiya, leader of one of the farmer groups, told TOI that they had been fighting for their lands that were acquired by the government during 2010-12. “We were told that we will be compensated with prices of land somewhere else. However, due to corruption, we were denied that. We demand a CBI investigation into various land deals done with farmers,” said Tewatiya.