In anticipation of a large congregation of farmers scheduled to attend the Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat at the iconic Ramlila Maidan here on Thursday, the Delhi Police on Wednesday issued an advisory detailing diversions and traffic regulations in the city and advised people to avoid routes in the adjoining areas to minimise inconvenience.
According to the Delhi Traffic Police, traffic will be regulated on Thursday from 6 am to 4 pm on Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Asaf Ali Road, Swami Vivekanand Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, Minto Road, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh Flyover, Bhavbhuti Marg, Chaman Lal Marg, Barakhamba Road, Tolstoy Marg, Jai Singh Road, Sansad Marg, Baba Kharag Singh Marg, Ashoka Road, Connaught Circus, and DDU Marg.
The police said that traffic may be diverted on several roads, stretches as well as their surrounding areas from 6 am on Thursday. These areas include Delhi Gate, Mir Dard Chowk, Ajmeri Gate Chowk, Guru Nanak Chowk, Kamla Market, Paharganj Chowk and roundabout at Jhandewalan, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh Flyover from Barakhambha Road to Guru Nanak Chowk, Barakhamba Road and Tolstoy Road Crossing, Janpath Road and Tolstoy Marg Crossing, Tolstoy Road and the KG Marg Crossing, and the roundabout at the GPO.
The police have requested commuters to avoid or bypass the said roads and utilise public transportation, especially the Delhi Metro services.
The general public is advised to allocate sufficient time for planning road journeys along the said roads and junctions. People heading towards the ISBT, railway station, or airport are advised to carefully plan their travel, the police said.
The general public and motorists are advised to follow the directions of traffic personnel deployed at all intersections, and remain updated through the Delhi Traffic Police website https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in, its Facebook page, social media handle X, Instagram, and WhatsApp number 8750871493.
The farmers have stated that they will reach Delhi by buses, trains and private cars, among other means, but certainly not by tractors. They assured of carrying out their protest in a peaceful manner.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) appealed to farmers and workers to make the Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat on Thursday a peaceful and successful event.
The SKM said that a majority of the farmers will arrive by trains. It affirmed that the Mahapanchayat will be peaceful and that the highest level of discipline would be maintained.
The farmer union had earlier said that preparations were in full swing to ensure maximum participation and make the event a success.
In a statement, the farmer union said that the Mahapanchayat would adopt a ‘Letter of Resolution’ to intensify their efforts in opposing the pro-corporate policies and safeguarding farming, food security, livelihoods, and people from the perceived corporate influence.
The farmer unions have been protesting since February 13 over their demands, primarily calling for a law to guarantee MSP and other provisions. They had initially decided to march towards Delhi with their “Delhi Chalo” campaign but were stopped at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points on the Punjab-Haryana intersection.