Bharat Bandh: Parts of Delhi witness traffic snarls due to road closures, diversions

The Ghazipur border is closed for vehicular movement and vehicles are being diverted to the DND and the Apsara border for Noida and Ghaziabad respectively.There was chaos on one carriageway of the national highway coming from the Ghazipur border to Sarai Kale Khan near the Akshardham Mandir.Kiran 32, who works at the Maulana Azad Medical College, said that it took her two hours to reach office from Adarsh Nagar.

Parts of the national capital witnessed traffic snarls on Monday morning as police closed some key roads to prevent any untoward incident during the Bharat Bandh called by farm unions against the Centre's three farm laws.

Commuters faced difficulties in crossing the borders, especially the Delhi-Gurgaon border.

A senior police officer from the southwest district said the traffic was heavy in the morning as local police had put up barricades. The situation is returning to normal.

Traffic movement on the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) flyway was also affected. The Ghazipur border is closed for vehicular movement and vehicles are being diverted to the DND and the Apsara border for Noida and Ghaziabad respectively.

There was chaos on one carriageway of the national highway coming from the Ghazipur border to Sarai Kale Khan near the Akshardham Mandir.

Kiran (32), who works at the Maulana Azad Medical College, said that it took her two hours to reach office from Adarsh Nagar. ''I live in Adarsh Nagar and left my house around 7 am. There was heavy traffic in Azadpur, Kashmiri Gate and Daryaganj. I reached my office around 9 am. Generally, it takes around an hour," she said. The Delhi Police has increased security checks at its border points which led to the slowing down of traffic and it informed commuters about road closures and traffic snarls on Twitter. According to the police, roads around the historic Red Fort as well as the dual carriageway at the Ghazipur border were closed for traffic.

"Traffic movement is closed on Red Fort on both the carriageways Chhatta Rail and Subhash Marg are closed from both sides… Traffic movement is closed on Dhansa Border Both Carriageways (sic),'' it tweeted.

"Due to blocking of National Highway 24 and 9 by protesters, commuters coming from Sarai Kale Khan can take alternate route for Ghaziabad i.e. Vikas Marg for Ghaziabad and for Noida via DND," the traffic police said on Twitter.

"The Ghazipur border is closed for traffic from both sides due to farmers' protests. Commuters wishing to commute to and fro between UP and Delhi may use DND flyway, Vikas Marg, Signature bridge, and Wazirabad road. Traffic on NH 24 and 9 is being diverted towards Maharajpur, Apsara and Bhopura borders," it tweeted.

According to the police, traffic movement is heavy on the Kalindi Kunj flyover and near the metro station in the area, while it is moving slowly on the DND flyway. Traffic is also heavy at the Rajokri toll plaza as the local police have set up a checkpoint for vehicles.

Sunil Yadav, an advocate, said, "There was heavy traffic at Shastri Park and the Kashmiri Gate area. The stretch requires only five to ten minutes, but due to the traffic, the vehicles were crawling and I reached Tis Hazari court one hour late." The Delhi Police has beefed up security in border areas of the national capital.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of over 40 farm unions spearheading the farmers' agitation, had earlier appealed to the people to join the bandh.

A senior police officer said adequate security arrangements have been made to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident in the national capital during the bandh.

Patrolling has been intensified, extra personnel have been deployed at the pickets especially across the border areas and every vehicle entering the national capital is being thoroughly checked, according to the police.

No protester is being allowed to enter Delhi from the three protest sites at the city's borders, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)