As the farmers' march makes its way toward Delhi on Monday, residents of Delhi-NCR are advised to exercise caution, plan their routes in advance, and consider public transportation options to avoid significant delays.
Farmers from multiple districts in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are set to march towards the Parliament complex in Delhi on Monday, to demand compensation and benefits under new agricultural laws. The protest, organized by the Bhartiya Kisan Parishad (BKP), is expected to cause major traffic disruptions in the Delhi-NCR region.
The march, led by BKP leader Sukhbir Khalifa, will begin at noon from the Mahamaya flyover in Noida. Farmers from 20 districts, including Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Agra, will participate in the protest. They will march towards Delhi on foot and in tractors to press for their demands, including changes to compensation rates for acquired land and improved rehabilitation measures for landless farmers.
In the wake of protest, the Supreme Court asked Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal to persuade the protesting farmers not to obstruct highways and cause inconvenience to people. Dallewal is on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point to press for the acceptance of farmers' demands. Hours before beginning his fast-unto-death on November 26, Dallewal was allegedly forcibly removed from the Khanauri border and taken to a hospital in Ludhiana. He was discharged on Friday evening. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan disposed of a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of Dallewal.
Meanwhile, another farmers' protest march is set to begin on December 6. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Sunday that a group of farmers, led by their leaders, will march towards Delhi on foot on December 6 even as he lashed out at the Centre for not holding any talks with the protesting farmers to resolve their issues, including a legal guarantee on the MSP.
Farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces. KMM leader Pandher said that the farmers have been protesting at Shambhu and Khanauri for 293 days.
He said that the first “jatha” (group) of farmers will be led by Satnam Singh Pannu, Surinder Singh Chautala, Surjit Singh Phul, and Baljinder Singh.
The protesting farmers are pushing for five key demands protesting on Monday:
Allocation of 10 percent of plots and a 64.7 percent increase in compensation under the old land acquisition law.
Four times the market rate compensation for land acquired after January 1, 2014.
Allocation of 20 percent of plots from land acquired after the specified date.
Employment benefits for the children of landless farmers.
Proper settlement of populated areas and implementation of government orders as recommended by the High Power Committee.
With the protest expected to cause significant traffic congestion, the Delhi and Noida police have issued a traffic advisory and increased security measures. Barriers have been set up at major entry points, including the Noida-Delhi borders, with intensified security checks at key locations such as the Chilla, DND Border, and Mahamaya Flyover. The police have also confirmed the deployment of additional forces to ensure public safety and manage the crowd.
To mitigate the impact on daily commuters, Noida police have strongly recommended the use of the Delhi Metro for those traveling into Delhi as the metro would be a faster, more reliable means of transport when there will be road congestion due to is march.
The police also advise the public to stay updated on real-time traffic reports and plan their journeys accordingly. Emergency vehicles will be prioritized during the diversions, ensuring that critical services are not affected.
The march is part of a larger movement organized by several farmer groups, including the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and Samyukt Kisan Morcha. Apart from the above-mentioned key demands, the protesters are also demanding a guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, farm loan waiver, pension for farmers and farm laborers, no hike in the electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases, and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
The protesting farmers had attempted to march towards Delhi on February 13 and February 21 but were stopped by the security forces deployed at the capital's borders.
Farmers have long raised concerns about the government's agricultural laws, and the current protest reflects ongoing frustration over unaddressed grievances.