Traffic halts as traders’ protest swells on road

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 25

Shopkeepers of the Sirhind canal market today staged a protest by blocking the Bathinda-Goniana road against the problems faced by them due to the construction a service lane below the flyover.

The traders alleged that the company, constructing the highway, has placed the debris in front of their shops due to which their business had been highly affected.

They protested for around one hour and the traffic on both sides of the road came to a standstill. However, it was diverted by police officials after half an hour.

The situation got tensed when commuters entered into heated argument with the protesters and told them to lift the protest.

The commuters said they were unnecessary affected by the stir.

Sensing the situation going out of the hands, police officials reached the spot and tried to pacify the protesters to lift their protest. They assured the protesters that the debris would not be left outside their shops. After getting the assurance, the protesters lifted the stir.

Manish Garg, a protester, said, “We have been facing the problem due to the construction work. Officials of the company leave debris outside our shops. We face problems in opening and closing the shutters of our shops. We requested officials of the Bathinda Improvement Trust to shift the market from the current location and set it up somewhere in the city. We are even ready to pay nominal prices for this. We are not against development, but we just want to make our both ends meet.”

The protesters also threatened to intensify their stir if the debris was left outside their shops.