After 48 days of closure, vehicular movement was allowed through Ghazipur-Ghaziabad (UP Gate) border to Delhi on Monday, 15 March. The police opened one carriageway that had shut due to the farmers’ ongoing protests against the three farm laws, and the violence that ensued at the tractor rally on Republic Day.
However, the other five carriageways connecting Ghaziabad and Delhi remain closed. Travellers going to the national capital from Ghaziabad, Meerut, and places in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh continue to take alternate routes to Delhi.
It’s been 110 days since the Ghazipur border, which is among the three borders witnessing the farmer’s struggle, was first sealed off. Haryana borders – Singhu and Tikri – are also seeing the protests against the Centre’s agriculture laws.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Vinit Kumar posted on social media on Monday: “In view of the prevailing law and order situation at the Ghazipur border and keeping in mind the public convenience, the carriageway of NH-24 going towards Ghaziabad from Delhi has been opened in due consultation with the police officials of Ghaziabad district, Uttar Pradesh, in public interest.”
Since 2 March, this is the second time that one carriageway towards Ghaziabad via Ghazipur border has been opened for the public. Earlier, it only allowed movement for six hours, owing to the absence of an official order to open the route. The police informed that it was a temporary arrangement to facilitate movement of emergency vehicles, Hindustan Times reported.
At first, only the carriageways going towards Delhi from Ghaziabad were closed because of the protest. After the Republic Day violence, all carriageways of NH-9 and NH-24 were blocked with heavy barricading and deployment of police personnel.
The traffic police have advised motorists coming to the national capital from Ghaziabad to use EDM Mall Kaushambi, Anand Vihar, Kondli, Surya Nagar, Apsara, Bhopra, and Loni border as the alternate routes. They are also allowed entry through Noida, the report added.
Those travelling towards Delhi from Ghaziabad, Vasundhara, and Vaishali can take the Anand Vihar (Maharajpur) border route and turn left on the road towards Ghazipur roundabout from where they can use either NH-9 or NH-24.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times)
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