Highlights:
- The process of removing Police barricades crammed at Delhi’s Tikri border is underway, to facilitate vehicular movement.
- Initiation of the above happened amid a Supreme Court hearing that directed culpability of hindering traffic at the police.
- No clarity of the exact timeline for the roads to become operational again.
Preeminent agitation over revised farm laws had invoked protests from different parts of the country. Delhi’s Tikri border was one of the significant sites that witnessed a colossal amount of protestors. In an attempt to curb unwanted clashes, the Delhi police had placed roadblocks at the location including elaborate barricades comprising of massive nails and enormous concrete blocks last year.
The blockades were being cleared on Thursday amidst a Supreme court hearing that pointed out the traffic plight of the area on account of the authorities instead of the demonstrators. The barriers and checkpoints were created across several border crossings around Delhi last November when farmers assembled to protest against three agricultural laws passed by the central government.
The Delhi police, as quoted by ANI, spoke of “plans to open emergency routes at the Tikri border (linking Delhi and Haryana) and the Ghazipur border (linking Delhi and Uttar Pradesh).” The borders will be cleared and road will start to function once farmers’ consensus is received.
Government supporters blamed the perpetual farmers’ protest for the distress faced by commuters. The Supreme court last week said that despite having the right to express their dissent and agitation, the indefinite blocking of roads is not within the purview of their rights.
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The process of removal of the barricades was initiated two days ahead of a meeting among the senior officials from Haryana, including Additional Chief Secretary, Rajeev Arora, Chief of Police PK Agrawal and a delegation of farmers. A farmer leader at the meeting mentioned that they had not blocked any road and that the responsibility of opening the road in its entirety was the imperative of the Delhi police.
In addition to Tikri, Ghazipur, Singhu and Kundli are the pivotal borders alongside the national capital where the farmers have staged their protest continually for over 11 months.
Anyhow, it might be a few days before the roads are opened completely as the roadblocks are yet to be removed.
