Massive congestion at Delhi-Noida border as police set up barricades ahead of farmers' march

Massive traffic snarls caused inconvenience to commuters crossing the Delhi-Noida border on Monday as police set up multiple barricades in view of the farmers' protest march towards the national capital.

A senior police officer said checking was underway at the borders and drones were being used for surveillance.

Additional Commissioner of Police (east) Sagar Singh Kalsi said, "We have made adequate arrangements in east Delhi borders and have taken all precautionary measures, including anti-riot equipment. We are using drones for vigilance and are also coordinating with traffic police for smooth vehicular movement in the area."

Aprajita Singh, a resident of Greater Noida, said the barricades put up at the Chilla border were causing major inconvenience to commuters.

"It took me about an hour to get through that stretch. The police set up barricades on both sides of the Delhi-Noida border, causing significant traffic congestion, especially on the carriageway heading from Noida to Delhi," she said.

Joint Commissioner of Police (southern range) SK Jain said they are also coordinating with the Noida Police.

"We have two key borders in the southeast district -- the DND border and Kalindi Kunj. Since there is section 163 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) imposed in the New Delhi area and also Parliament is in session, protests without permission are strictly prohibited.

"To manage this, we have increased security at both the borders. Proper barricades, jersey barriers and hydra cranes have been deployed. We will stop those who will try to enter forcefully," he stated.

Currently, the situation at the border is normal and traffic movement is underway, Jain added.

Another commuter, Amit Thakur of Noida, said he took the metro instead of his car to get to work.

"When I checked the traffic situation before heading to my office in central Delhi, it showed heavy congestion near the Chilla border, adding an extra hour of travel time. So, I decided to take the metro instead," he said.