Farmers protest stopped in Noida, massive traffic jams at Delhi borders; Section 144 imposed

Hundreds of farmers from villages in Noida and Greater Noida on Thursday gathered near Noida's Mahamaya Flyover ahead of a protest march to the parliament building in Delhi, leading to massive traffic jams on the Delhi-Noida highway and triggering a security response.

Security has been beefed up in Delhi due to the protests with heavy-duty bulldozers, backhoe machines, Vikrant logistic vehicles, riot control vehicles, and water cannons parked strategically to meet any eventuality in case farmers reached there, said the officials.

The police stopped the protestors near the flyover in Noida. In a video shared by news agency PTI, farmers were seen trying to climb the barricades placed by the police personnel near the flyover.

The Noida traffic police had earlier issued an advisory asking people to use alternative routes as heavy traffic was expected on several arterial roads due to the protest.

There were also reports of scuffles between farmers and the police, and several protesters were detained.

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The farmers had on Wednesday said that they were all set to stage a protest outside Parliament in Delhi demanding a hike in land compensation and better rehabilitation facilities for their families.

Protesters said they would enter the national capital through tractors, buses, and various other vehicles. They planned to assemble at the Mahamaya flyover and then march towards Delhi around noon on Thursday.

“The Uttar Pradesh government is not addressing our demand for 10% of the total land acquired for residential purposes, 64.7% hiked land compensation, permission for commercial activities on residential plots and other benefits,” Bharatiya Kisan Ekta Sangh leader Sukhbir Yadav said speaking about their protest.

Union ministers junior Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, junior Home Minister Nityanand Rai, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and a central government delegation have rushed to Chandigarh to meet representatives of the farmers, reports NDTV.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Section 144 was imposed ahead of the protests in Noida and Greater Noida, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police said.

Farmer groups in Noida and Greater Noida have been protesting since December 2023, demanding greater compensation and developing plots against their lands acquired by the local development authorities in the past.

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