Punjab-Haryana border sealed, traffic advisory issued ahead of farmers' Delhi Chalo March

Farmers' proposed 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 13 has led to preparations for sealing the Punjab-Haryana borders in the districts of Ambala, Jind and Fatehabad. The Haryana Police has issued a traffic advisory for February 13, urging commuters to restrict travel on the state's main roads to urgent needs due to potential traffic disruptions on major routes from Haryana to Punjab.

The state government has also ordered the suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS in seven districts - Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa. On Saturday, Haryana Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur, Inspector General of Police (Ambala Range) Siwas Kaviraj and Ambala Superintendent of Police Jashandeep Singh visited the Shambhu border near Ambala to review the arrangements in anticipation of the farmers' march next week.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announced a 'Delhi Chalo' march by over 200 farmers' unions on February 13. The march aims to urge the Centre to accept several demands, including the enactment of a law ensuring a minimum support price (MSP) for crops. 

In response to this, the police issued a traffic advisory, asking commuters travelling from Chandigarh to Delhi to take alternative routes via Derabassi, Barwala/Ramgarh, Saha, Shahbad, Kurukshetra, or through Panchkula, NH-344 Yamunanagar Indri/Pipli, Karnal. Likewise, those travelling from Delhi to Chandigarh were directed to reach their destination via Karnal, Indri/Pipli, Yamunanagar, Panchkula, or Kurukshetra, Shahbad, Saha, Barwala, Ramgarh. 

The Ghaggar flyover at the Shambhu border was closed for traffic, with police placing cement barricades on the road. The Ghaggar river bed was dug up to prevent farmers from reaching the highway via tractors. Commuters travelling towards Ambala through Shambhu border faced significant traffic disruptions, according to the advisory.

The general public is urged to travel to Punjab only under urgent circumstances, according to a recent advisory. The advisory further states that guidelines have been issued to all senior police officers. The purpose of these guidelines is to minimise inconvenience to the general public and ensure smooth functioning of law and order.

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