Avoid NH-44, Sonipat police advise commuters

Sonipat (Haryana) [India], November 28 (ANI): Sonipat police on Saturday issued a travel advisory for commuters to avoid National Highway-44 which has been blocked by farmer organisations during their Delhi Chalo march in protest against the new farm laws.

"In view of the Delhi Chalo march against the new farm laws, commuters are requested to avoid NH 44. They can use NH 71A and they can also reach Delhi via Gurugram or Buana, Narela, Safiyabad from Panipat route," Sonipat police said.

"Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and representatives of other farmer organisations have reached Haryana-Delhi Singhu border, while crossing borders of Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat and other districts while travelling on tractor-trolleys," police said.

Over the past few months, thousands of farmers mainly from Punjab have been protesting against the new agricultural legislation they say could be exploited by the private sector to buy their crops at low prices.

While the government has maintained that the three laws will do away with middlemen, enabling farmers to sell their produce in the markets directly, protesters fear that these could dismantle the minimum support price (MSP) system, thereby disrupting their timely payments.

Earlier in the day also, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar reiterated that the central government was ready for talks with the farmer unions' leaders on December 3 to resolve their issues.

The Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed by the Upper House in September through voice vote despite objection from opposition parties. (ANI)