Traffic Resumes On Noida-Greater Noida Expressway After Farmers Leave Protest Site

Noida: Traffic on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway has resumed after farmers, who were leading a protest march, left the site after talks with the administration. The farmers protest is being led by Bhartiya Kisan Parishad (BKP) along with other groups to demand compensation and benefits related to agricultural reforms, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

The Chilla Border in Noida showed long queues of vehicles stuck in traffic. The traffic congestion came after police held security checks on roads ahead of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march.

What are farmers demands?

The Bhartiya Kisan Parishad (BKP), along with Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other farmer organizations earlier announced that they will be marching towards Delhi on Monday to demand compensation and benefits under the new agricultural laws.

Speaking about their protest, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Pawan Khatana said, “Our main demand for farmers of Gautam Buddha Nagar, who have lost their land, is 10% developed plot, and 64.7% remuneration for those who haven't received it till now.”

“In 2013, the farmers of Gautam Buddha Nagar fought for the Land Acquisition Act and got it passed, but it has not been implemented. No farmer has received four times the compensation. There has been no increase in the circle rate... Farmers are being displaced because of the airport and there has been no change in displacement policy,” Khatana said. 

"We will continue to protest till the time there is no change in displacement policy... We will continue moving forward till the time we reach where we are supposed to... We haven't blocked the road. The administration did it. We were marching forward as per our plan. They blocked the road, this is why we have stopped temporarily...," the farmer leader added.

Noida police on talks held with farmers

Briefing the reporters on the consensus reached temporarily between the administration and farmers, Joint CP Law and Order Noida, Shivhari Meena said, "The farmers had announced the 'Delhi Challo' march today and we were continuously holding talks with them. The farmers have told their demands to the officials and officials have given them an assurance. The traffic has returned to normalcy..."

How Noida police planned to tackle farmers protest

Noida police had put a 3-tier security plan into effect and deployed security forces in parts of Noida-Delhi ahead of the farmers 'Delhi Chalo' protest march, said an official.

• According to the Shivhari Meena, Additional Commissioner Of Police Noida, “We are in constant talks with farmers regarding the 'Delhi Chalo' march. Yesterday also we spoke to them for 3 hours. We have also prepared a 3-tier security plan...around 5,000 Police personnel are conducting checking at various locations... we have also issued traffic advisory... around 1000 PSC personnel have also been deployed, there are arrangements of water cannons...”
• The Police say they are constantly communicating with the farmers, and also seeing to the traffic management.
• A traffic advisory has also been issued so that security arrangements are maintained.
• Around 5,000 police officials and 1,000 PSC workers have been deployed, and water cannon, TGS squad, fire squad and others have been deployed for emergency and traffic management.
• Meanwhile, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has reached out to farmers, urging them to resolve their issues through dialogue.

Earlier in October, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandhair had informed that the farmers sitting in protest at the Shambhu border ( Punjab - Haryana border) would march towards Delhi on December 6 to press their demands including a guarantee for Minimum Support Price.

With inputs from ANI