New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS): The Ghaziabad Police have barricaded National Highway 24 and National Highway 9 following which the Delhi Traffic Police were forced to divert traffic on several roads, most likely due to the ongoing farmers' agitation.
Both NH 9 and NH 24 connect the national capital with Uttar Pradesh and are also among the key routes towards Ghazipur border where farmers have been protesting against the contentious farm laws for almost one year.
Informing about the closure, the Delhi Traffic Police said that due to barricading by the Ghaziabad traffic police they have diverted the traffic from several roads.
A diversion has been created at Akshardham setu towards Noida and Vikas Marg for Ghaziabad. "Road No 57A to Hasanpur Karkari Mod for Shahadar, Anand Vihar and Ghaziabad," the traffic police said.
The traffic was also diverted from roundabout Ghazipur towards Anand Vihar, Bhopura border Ghaziabad via road no 56 and from roundabout Murga Mandi towards Dr Hadgewar marg then Nala road up to Uttar Pradesh gate Ghaziabad for Vaishali, Vasundhara and Ghaziabad via paper market Ghazipur.
Earlier also the Delhi Traffic Police had advised commuters going to Ghaziabad from Sarai Kale Khan to take an alternate route, but later deleted the tweet.
"Commuters coming from Sarai kale Khan take an alternative route for Ghaziabad i.e. Vikas Marg via road no 57 A, road no 56. Anand Vihar and Paper market for Ghaziabad and for Noida via DND," the traffic police deleted the tweet.
The heavy barricading possibly comes in wake of the violence at a farmers' protest in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday that left at least eight people dead and 15 others injured. The protest took a violent turn there as unidentified persons opened fire at the farmers. Infuriated farmers then set three jeeps on fire after some of the protesters were run over by the vehicles. One of the vehicles is said to belong to Ashish Mishra, son of the Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra.
Since Sunday, the incident became a political hotspot with leaders from the Opposition parties cornering the present dispensation and vowing to reach the site of the massacre.