Drones, barriers & more: How Delhi-NCR has turned into a fortress to stop farmers’ march

A look at roads leading to the Capital and it gives you a sense of déjà vu from 2020. The year when farmers thronged Delhi to protest against the now-repealed farm laws. This time, the farmers are gearing up to march to Delhi as part of their ‘Delhi Chalo’ campaign.

And keeping the farmers’ march in mind, scheduled for today (13 February), authorities have deployed police, paramilitary personnel in large numbers and also carried out multi-layered barricading at Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur in order to prevent the protesting farmers from entering Delhi.

We take a closer look at the various security measures undertaken as well as the traffic restrictions imposed as thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh gear up for the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.

All roads lead to Delhi

Over 200 farmers’ unions, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, will take part in the march today after talks with Union ministers — Piyush Goyal and Arjun Munda — were inconclusive.

The ministers had met with the farmers on Monday (12 February) for over five hours but their talks yielded no positive results. As a result, Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday early morning said: “The central government has not been able to make a strong decision on anything. The government is asking for time from us to pause the agitation. But they asked us for time two years ago too, when the farmers’ agitation ended. We thought that giving time is not suitable now. If there is a strong proposal, then we can think of giving time, but they don’t have anything.”

#WATCH | Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab: Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher says, "The meeting with the ministers went on for around 5 hours yesterday. We presented an agenda in front of them. The central government has not been able to make… pic.twitter.com/B7SZTLTN6R

— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2024

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He further announced that the farmers will begin their march towards Delhi at 10 am. The protesting farmers have three main demands — enactment of a law to guarantee a Minimum Support Price for all crops, farmer loan waiver and the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations.

Security’s up, barriers at Delhi borders

In preparation for the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, authorities have intensified security in the Capital with multi-layer barricades, concrete blocks, iron nails and walls of containers at border points to stop the throng of farmers atop tractors and trolleys from entering the city.

Moreover, police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in massive numbers at three points — Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur. According to an official, makeshift jails have also been set up at “specific locations” in view of the march.

The police are also using drones to keep a tight vigil at border points, an official said, adding that they are fully prepared to deal with any law and order situation.

In addition to this, the Delhi Police has also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC for a month — until 12 March. The order essentially bans the collection of people for processions and rallies. Furthermore, it bans the entry of tractors into the city as well as bars people from collecting or carrying any form or explosives, boulders, acid, petrol, soda water bottles or any item that can be used to cause danger to anyone.

The Delhi Police has also started carrying out detailed security checks at the borders, said an official.

The prohibitory orders have also been imposed by the Haryana authorities for 15 of its districts. Furthermore, the Haryana government has suspended mobile internet services and bulk SMS in seven districts — Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa — from 11 to 13 February.

In and around Delhi, traffic restrictions have also been imposed, which could cause inconvenience to commuters. Interstate buses intending to go towards Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal etc via NH-44 will take ISBT to Majnu Ka Tilla to Signature Bridge to Khajuri Chowk to Loni Border to KMP via Khekra.

Traffic from Delhi going to Ghaziabad through Ghazipur border will have to take Pushta Road in front of Akshardham temple or, Patparganj Road/Mother Dairy road or, Chaudhary Charan Singh Marg ISBT Anand Vihar and exit from Maharajpur or Apsara border in UP Ghaziabad.

Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) issues traffic advisory in view of the proposed farmers' protest at various borders of Delhi from tomorrow (February 13). pic.twitter.com/d6v3ZRXZ3V

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 12, 2024

Farmers prepare for the long haul

And despite the massive preparations, farmers seem intent on their ‘Delhi Chalo’ campaign. Farmers have packed essential items, including dry ration, mattresses and utensils, among others on to their tractors, as they head out towards the Capital.

An excavator is also among the convoy of tractor trolleys, with a farmer in Amritsar saying it would be used to break barricades.

Earlier, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha also slammed the Centre’s handling of the protest alleging that an atmosphere of terror is being created to frighten people. “The administration is imposing Section 144 in and around Delhi and Haryana and diverting the traffic without any prior advisory to the public. It is creating an atmosphere of terror to frighten off the people. The Modi government is treating the protesters as if they are enemies of the country,” they said.

Meanwhile, other Opposition leaders such as Akhilesh Yadav and Uddhav Thackeray slammed the Centre for its handling of the issue. Thackeray was quoted as saying, “If the Central government is working for farmers then why did it put thorns and nails in their path and dug trenches, besides deploying thousands of policemen.”

With inputs from agencies