The Delhi police on Tuesday closed the Ghazipur border hours after it reopened a part of NH-9 — for vehicular movement — where the farmers have been protesting against farm laws for over three months.
Sources said that district police took a call on opening the route in an attempt to ease out traffic from Delhi to Ghaziabad side but installed the barricades again. The route opened around 5 a.m. and shut again around noon because of chaos that ensued.
The stretch has remained closed since January 26 when violence broke out during the farmers’ tractor parade on Republic Day, leaving several, including police officers injured. It was open for traffic in the first two months, barring a few days.
Scores of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and south Indian States as well have been camping at three Delhi borders against the Centre’s three farm laws.
‘Welcome step’
The protesting farmers welcomed the opening of the lane. “It is a welcome step. We appeal to the administration to keep it open,” said Dharmendra Malik, media incharge of Bhartiya Kisan Union.
He said that for the first two months of the protest, this lane remained open for traffic without any hassle. Besides, the lane on which the stage is erected, there is space left for the movement of ambulances going from Uttar Pradesh towards Delhi, he said. “However, after January 26, it was closed, causing problems to the public.”
Apart from Ghaziabad residents, the opening of the expressway will provide relief to people travelling from Delhi towards Meerut and Hapur. At present, they have to take a detour through Apsara or Anand Vihar borders. It leads to traffic snarls during office hours.
Ramanand Kushwaha, Superintendent of Police (Traffic), Ghaziabad said the decision to open and close the expressway lane was that of the Delhi police. The Ghaziabad administration had nothing to do with it, he said.
He said the duration for which it was open, eased the pressure on the Apsara and Anand Vihar borders.
(With inputs from Anuj Kumar)