Farmers Movement Archive

Chandigarh: Office-goers run late as traffic crawls again

MOHALI: The farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to protest the farm laws caused traffic snarls on the outskirts of the city on Friday again. Commuters were stuck for hours on the Zirakpur road, while industrialists heading towards Derabassi focal point were a harried lot as the police kept the entry to the flyover closed for traffic for the second day in a row. The traffic approaching the Patiala crossing was diverted on to the road beneath the flyover, causing long queues of vehicles. The road was closed as the farmers were passing through Zirakpur, Derabassi and Lalru while on way to Delhi. The road blockade also resulted in a traffic jam on the Panchkula side. Monika Chopra, who was going to her workplace from Panchkula to Zirakpur, said, “I have been stuck in a traffic jam for 30 minutes. It seems I will reach my office late.” Industrialists Sanjay Kumar, Deepak Singh, Kamal Jha and Satvir Singh told TOI over phone “The highway has been blocked by the police. We are stuck in traffic jam for 45 minutes. It seems that we may reach our workplaces by lunch.” Fearing another surge of farmers that could deteriorate the law and order situation on the Zirakpur-Lalru road, the police barricaded the highway while keeping alternate routes open. The entry points at Zirakpur, Derabassi and Lalru had been sealed. Mohali police had sealed the Zirakpur border road at 9.30 am on Thursday. It was not opened for traffic till Friday. Vehicles were not allowed to go past the Zirakpur flyover as well towards Ambala. The incoming traffic from Ambala was diverted at Derabassi towards Panchkula to reach Chandigarh. Similarly, the outgoing traffic from airport road at Patiala crossing was diverted towards Zirakpur, where it was further diverted towards Panchkula-Nada Sahib-Barwala road and Yamunanagar expressway to reach Ambala and Delhi.

The Times of India

2020-11-28

Chandigarh