Farmers' mahapanchayat: Heavy force deployment in central Delhi, traffic hit in parts

Security was beefed up in the national capital on Thursday and heavy force was deployed for checking vehicles in the central parts of the city due to 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' at the Ramlila Maidan here, officials said.

Farmers in large numbers gathered at the Ramlila Ground here on Thursday to take part in the mahapanchayat convened to protest against the BJP-led Centre's policies regarding the farming sector.

A police officer said adequate security personnel were deployed at and around the Ramlila Ground. Traffic is also being managed so that the commuters do not get any inconvenience.

Seven companies of para military force were deployed in an around the mahapanchayat spot, while overall 22 companies were deployed across the national capital, an official said.

Traffic snarls were witnessed in central Delhi and Sarai Kale Khan. Vehicles moved at a snail's pace, resulting in traffic congestion at ITO, Delhi Gate, Daryaganj and on National Highway-24 near Sarai Kale Khan, among other places. Massive traffic snarls were witnessed at Sarai Kale Khan.

The Delhi Police had given permission to the farmers to hold the event on the conditions that there would not be a gathering of more than 5,000 people, no tractor-trolleys and no march to the Ramlila Maidan.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer organisations that had spearheaded a protest at Delhi's borders in 2020-21 against three agriculture laws which have since been repealed, announced holding of a 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' at the Ramlila Maidan on Thursday where a resolution will be passed to ''intensify the fight'' against the BJP-led Centre's policies related to the farming sector.

Several CCTV cameras were installed inside and outside the Ramlila Ground. A makeshift room was formed for monitoring the CCTV cameras. The metal detectors were installed at all the entry gates. Drone was also being used for the security reasons.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the SKM said the Delhi Police has given it a no-objection certificate (NOC) for conducting the mahapanchayat at the Ramlila Maidan on March 14 and arranging space for parking vehicles and other basic amenities like water, toilets and ambulances with the support of the municipal administration.

The farmers were asked to vacate the ground soon after the conclusion of their programme at 2.30 pm. They started dispersing from the ground after the allotted tie.

The traffic police had advised those going towards the ISBTs, railway stations or airport to plan their travel accordingly with sufficient time in hand.

Three border points of the capital -- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur -- have been witnessing a heavy deployment of paramilitary personnel in view of a proposed farmers' march to Delhi.

Hundreds of farmers are sitting at the border points of Punjab and Haryana for the last one month.

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