Haryana and Punjab Police divert traffic on Delhi routes; Sonipat border also sealedChandigarh, 21 July (H.S.): Thousands of commuters faced severe inconvenience after farmers from Punjab announced a march towards Delhi, prompting police in nearly a dozen districts of Haryana to go on high alert. Traffic diversions and border restrictions led to long queues and delays on several major routes.Farmers have called a mahapanchayat in Delhi to protest the proposed India-US free trade agreement. Farmers from Punjab and Haryana are attempting to reach the national capital to participate in the protest.A traffic jam stretching nearly four kilometres was reported at the Kundli-Singhu border in Sonipat. Haryana Police deployed anti-riot vehicles and began intensive checking of vehicles. Entry towards Delhi was allowed only after verification.In Kurukshetra, police stopped a private bus carrying around 30 farmers near a checkpoint close to Jyotisar police post. The farmers were taken into custody. Bharatiya Kisan Union Pehowa spokesperson Prince Waraich was also among those detained.In the Hisar region, Delhi Police installed barricades on the Bahadurgarh-Dwarka bypass. Private vehicles were allowed to proceed only after strict checking.The farmers’ sit-in at the Shambhu border has badly affected traffic movement on the Amritsar-Delhi and Chandigarh-Delhi national highways. Commuters have been facing additional hardship because of the rainy weather and prolonged traffic diversions.Police in several Haryana districts, including Kurukshetra, Kaithal and Sonipat, have also detained farmer leaders as a preventive measure. Authorities have advised commuters to use alternative routes and avoid the affected border areas until traffic movement returns to normal.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH