Elaborate arrangements are being made to blockade Punjab and Hari in Ambala, Jind and Fatehabad districts ahead of farmers’ proposed ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on February 13 to force the Center to accept their various demands Yanabon border. Haryana police on Saturday issued a traffic advisory and urged commuters to restrict travel on major roads in the state in case of emergency on February 13, anticipating possible traffic disruptions on major routes from Haryana to Punjab .

Ahead of the farmers’ proposed march to Delhi, the Haryana government has also ordered seven-day demonstrations in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaital, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa. Mobile Internet services and bulk text messages have been suspended in several regions. Meanwhile, Haryana Police Commissioner Shatrujeet Kapur, Inspector General of Police (Ambala Range) Siwas Kaviraj and Ambala Inspector General of Police Jaishandi Jashandeep Singh visited the Shambhu border near Ambala on Saturday to take stock of the arrangements proposed by the farmers for the next phase of their march. Week.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announced a ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by over 200 farmer unions on February 13, urging the Center to accept several demands, including enactment of a law to guarantee minimum support crop price (MSP) ). In a traffic advisory, police have asked commuters traveling from Chandigarh to Delhi to take alternative routes via Derabassi, Barwala/Ramgarh, Saha, Shahbad, Kurukshetra or via Panchkula, NH-344 Yamunanagar Indri/Pipli, Karnal.

Similarly, according to police, passengers flying from Delhi to Chandigarh are also asked to reach their destination via Karnal, Indri/Pipli, Yamunanagar, Panchkula or Kurukshetra, Shahbad, Saha, Barwala, Ramgarh. The road on the Ghaggar flyover at Shambhu border was closed due to traffic jam and police put up concrete barricades on the road.

The Ghajjar river bed was also dug up to prevent farmers from reaching the highway through their tractors, officials said. Commuters traveling to Ambala through Shambhu border are facing inconvenience due to traffic congestion, the advisory said.

The public is urged to travel to Punjab only in emergencies, the statement said. In line with the advisory, guidelines have been issued to all senior police officers to minimize inconvenience to the public and ensure smooth functioning of law and order.

Police said preparations have been made to temporarily change traffic routes in the affected areas, especially Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaital, Jind, Fatehabad, Sirsa. However, traffic flow on all other routes in the state will not be affected, police said, while calling on the public to avoid unnecessary travel during this period.

Ambala Deputy Commissioner Shaleen said strict security arrangements have been made on February 13. Officials said instructions have been issued to set up checkpoints at places where farmers are expected to arrive.

Police have stockpiled concrete blocks, barbed wire, sandbags, barricades and other items at the Shambhu border in Ambala to stop protesters from marching towards the capital. Similar arrangements have been made in Jind and Fatehabad districts.

The farmers plan to travel to Delhi from Ambala-Shambhu border, Kanauli-Jind and Dabwali border. The Haryana Police has deployed 50 companies of central paramilitary forces to maintain law and order in the state.

Meanwhile, farmers are preparing to march towards Delhi even as they slam the Haryana government for sealing the border with Punjab. “We are preparing to join the march. We are carrying all the necessities required for the march, including dry food, cylinders, stoves, utensils and mattresses,” said a farmer in Sangrur.

Police said farmers were preparing tractor trolleys for the parade. Farmers held a tractor parade in Rajpura on February 13 as they prepared to head to Delhi.

Some farmers have shifted from their homes to other places in Ambala to avoid being detained by the Haryana police. A three-member panel of Union ministers held detailed discussions with leaders of farmer organizations on Thursday.

Farmer leaders said central ministers have assured them that they will hold a second round of meetings soon, but they also said their proposed ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on February 13 remains valid. Besides providing legal cover to MSPs, farmers have also demanded implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations, pension for farmers and farm workers, farm debt waiver, withdrawal of police cases and justice for victims of Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

In 2020, a large number of farmers from areas near Punjab and Ambala gathered at the Shambhu border, broke through police roadblocks and marched towards Delhi. The farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have staged year-long protests at Delhi’s border points – Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur – against the now-defunct three Agricultural laws.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)