Around 7.30 am Tuesday, vehicular movement on the DelhiMeerut Expressway absolutely stopped as farmers protesting against the three new farm laws blocked all their carriages at the Ghazipur-Ghaziabad (UP Gate) border for the past 27 days.
The Delhi Traffic Police used its Twitter handle at 7.37 am to update the public on the closure of carriageways at the border between Ghazipur and Ghaziabad. Deputy Police Commissioner (East) Jasmeet Singh also reported the border blockade as a result of the protest.
The Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Police were prompted by the sudden blockade of the expressway to redirect traffic to alternative borders, such as those at Anand Vihar, Bhopra and Apsara. Keeping in mind that the blockade may lead to traffic chaos during the morning office hours, Uttar Pradesh administration and Delhi police officials are negotiating with the protesting farmers the reopening of at least one carriageway.
Since they began their agitation last month, farmers protesting at the UP Gate border have occupied the expressway’s carriageway and service roads going to Delhi from Ghaziabad.
This is the second time that the expressway has been completely blocked by the farmers since Monday afternoon, who say that many farmers from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been prevented from proceeding to the borders of Delhi and join the agitation.
The borders of Singhu and Tikri, where thousands of farmers protest, continue to remain closed while vehicles entering Delhi from Noida are open to one carriageway at the Chilla (Delhi-Noida link road) border. DND, Kalindi Kunj, New Ashok Nagar, Kondli, and Dallupura are being diverted to other borders by motorists heading to Noida.
