New Delhi: The Delhi Police granted permission to the farmers to hold their ‘Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat’ under certain conditions, including limiting the gathering to no more than 5,000 individuals, prohibiting tractor trolleys, and disallowing marches at the Ramlila Maidan, news agency PTI reported.
Police also said on Wednesday that elaborate security measures have been put in place, which may result in heavy traffic congestion in the national capital on Thursday.
Here are the key updates:
- The Delhi police have issued a traffic advisory urging commuters to avoid roads leading to central Delhi. The umbrella organisation of farmers’ groups, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which led the 2020-21 farmers’ protest at Delhi borders against the now-scrapped agricultural laws, has declared their intention to hold the ‘Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat’ at Ramlila Maidan. During this event, a resolution will be passed to “intensify the fight” against government policies.
- According to a statement from the SKM issued on Tuesday, the Delhi Police have granted them a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for conducting the mahapanchayat at Ramlila Maidan on March 14, ensuring arrangements for parking, water, toilets, and ambulance with the assistance of the Delhi municipal administration.
- Deputy Commissioner of Police (central) M Harsha Vardhan said that farmers are permitted to hold the ‘mahapanchayat’ with a gathering not exceeding 5,000 individuals. The farmers have pledged not to bring tractors, weapons, or conduct any marches in Delhi, as per an undertaking provided to the police.
- Another police officer said that the farmers have been instructed to vacate the ground soon after the conclusion of their program by 2:30pm. Strict action may be taken if they fail to adhere to the undertakings and disrupt law and order in Delhi, police added.
- “We hope the SKM leadership will adhere to the undertaking they have provided to us,” the DCP said.
- Meanwhile, the traffic in various parts of Delhi is expected to be affected due to the farmers’ gathering at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday, according to police.
- Several roads including Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Barakhamba Road, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, and others are likely to experience disruptions. The advisory urged people heading towards ISBT, railway stations, or the airport to plan their travel accordingly and allocate sufficient time due to potential congestion. “We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in alleviating traffic congestion during the aforementioned period,” stated the traffic advisory.
- Meanwhile, heavy paramilitary personnel deployment has been observed at the three Delhi borders — Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur —to prevent the ongoing farmers’ protest from advancing towards Delhi. Hundreds of farmers continue to camp at the Punjab-Haryana borders for over a month now.
- The Gautam Buddh Nagar police also said diversions could be placed at routes in Noida, where “intensive” checking of vehicles would be carried out before allowing them to enter Delhi.
- “Intensive checking will be done by the Delhi Police and the Gautam Buddh Nagar police by installing barriers on all the borders between Noida and Delhi, due to which, in case of an increase in traffic pressure on the routes from Gautam Buddh Nagar to Delhi border, traffic can be diverted as per requirement,” the advisory stated.