Farmers Movement Archive

SAD rally: Tough time for commuters as Chandigarh entry points sealed

MOHALI: Commuters had a tough time negotiating traffic jams and diversions caused due to the massive protest rally called by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in support of farmers opposing the farm bills as the entry points on the highways approaching Chandigarh were sealed for around 10 hours on Thursday. The entry points at Zirakpur and Mullanpur were sealed, where serpentine queues of vehicles could be seen for miles till late in the evening. Chandigarh police had sealed the Zirakpur border at 1.30pm and till the filing of this report the borders were not opened. No vehicle was allowed to go past the Zirakpur flyover as well. The incoming traffic from Ambala was diverted at Derabassi towards Panchkula to reach Chandigarh. MP and former minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal reached Zirakpur border with a rally count of approximately 4,000 supporters and was stopped there. Similarly, Chandigarh entry from Mullapur side was also sealed by the evening when SAD president Sukhbir Badal’s rally reached Kurali at 6pm while he was supposed to reach Mullanpur border by 2.30pm. All incoming traffic from Kurali-Siswan-Mullanpur was diverted towards Kharar and traffic from Patiala to airport road and then to Mohali and Chandigarh. Due to this traffic on Kharar-Mohali road came to a standstill for few hours. Commuters stuck in snarl-ups made unending phone calls to TOI reporting that they have been stuck in traffic jam for the past 70 to 90 minutes. Rajni Bala, a resident of Zirakpur, said, “I have been making rounds of roads to reach Zirakpur from Chandigarh after finishing my office in the evening. These protesters must think about common people as after day’s work we long to reach home but such rallies make if tough.” Similarly, Rajat Jain of Kharar said, “The scenario in Kurali was worst. I have been waiting for 40 minutes for my turn to change the route to the other side of the highway to join the moving traffic to reach Kharar.”

The Times of India

2020-10-02

Chandigarh