Noida farmers hold protest march amid heavy security, traffic at Chilla border hit

Noida, Feb 8 (PTI) Noida Police on Thursday stepped up security along its borders with Delhi as thousands of farmers from around 100 villages took to the streets seeking hiked compensation and made an unsuccessful bid to march towards Parliament.

Barricades were set up at Chilla border with Noida Police on one side and Delhi Police on the other side to prevent protesters, who started their march from Mahamaya Flyover here around 12 pm, from entering the national capital.

Several police personnel were in anti-riot gears with tear gas shells and water cannons handy, even as personnel from the rapid action force and provincial armed constabulary were deployed at the Chilla border.

In the evening, a minor scuffle broke out between the protesters and security personnel as they tried to detain local farmer leaders near the Dalit Prerna Sthal.

Thousands of villagers, including women and elderly, joined the march, to press for their demands for hiked compensation and developed plots in lieu of their land acquired by local development authorities in Noida and Greater Noida in the past.

The protest march also slowed down movement of vehicular traffic at various routes, including the key stretches of Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and DND Flyway that thousands of commuters use daily.

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait joined the protesters in Greater Noida in the afternoon where his Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) members have been protesting outside the local authority office.

In Noida, the protesters were led by the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad (BKP), whose activists have held camps outside the local authority office since December 2023.

"In view of the farmers' movement, barriers have been installed at all the borders with Delhi and at Kisan Chowk and other places. Each vehicle is being checked due to which the traffic is moving slowly," a police spokesperson said.

"Senior officials and other personnel are present at various locations to control the traffic," he added.

The farmers from around 100 villages were led by the BKP after they assembled at the Mahamaya Flyover in Noida around 12 pm on Thursday, with a proposed plan to march towards the Parliament.

"From Mahamaya Flyover, the farmers shall march towards the Parliament in Delhi to press for our long-pending demands," BKP leader Sukhbir Yadav 'Khalifa' said earlier in the day.

Later, a scuffle broke out between several villagers and security personnel as they tried to detain local farmer leaders, including the BKP leader, near the Dalit Prerna Sthal.

"Farmer organisations proposed to go to Delhi with their various demands. Peaceful talks are being held with them near the Delhi border. Senior police officers are present on the spot," the police spokesperson said around 5 pm.

"Meaningful conversations with farmers are taking place in a peaceful environment," the official added.

Ahead of the protest by the farmers in Noida and Greater Noida, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police had already imposed CrPC Section 144 for Wednesday and Thursday.

The police also issued a traffic advisory, cautioning the commuters against diversions on some routes in the twin cities in view of the farmers' movement on tractors.

Between 12 pm and 5 pm, heavy traffic jams were witnessed on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, DND loop, Kanlindi Kunj bridge, around Dalit Prerna Sthal, Atta Chowk and Rajnigandha Chowk in Noida.

Similar snarls were witnessed at Pari Chowk in Greater Noida, with the police saying that they were making efforts to ensure smooth traffic movement. PTI