Jharmari barrier in Lalru opened to traffic

Mohali, March 5

More than 23 days after Chandigarh-Ambala national highway was blocked by the Haryana Police near the Jharmari barrier, Lalru, to stop activists of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha from marching to Delhi on February 12, normal traffic was restored on the stretch this morning.

The police removed the barricading and uprooted the iron spikes embedded in the concrete mix on the road. Work to clear the road on Haryana side of the border began last evening, but workers had a tough time removing the slabs and spikes till morning. “Vibrators, cutters and other machinery were put to use and the road could be cleared in the morning,” said a local resident.

With Shambhu and Khanauri borders remaining sealed on Haryana side, traffic on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway has increased manifold, leading to congestion at some places.

Dera Bassi ASP Vaibhav Chaudhary said the traffic on the stretch was restored this morning. For the time being, there is a restricted access at the spot with vehicles passing through a single lane on both sides and a few cops still manning the border.