Delhi cops open Auchandi-Ferozepur border; commuters a relieved lot

Mukesh Tandon

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Sonepat, March 7

Providing relief to the hundreds of commuters, the Delhi Police have opened the Auchandi-Ferozepur border (Sonepat-Delhi) in the Kharkhoda area for the people, which was lying sealed since February 13 due to the ongoing farmers’ protest.

Apart from this, the Sonepat Depot has started plying buses on main routes after opening of the borders. However, the Singhu border is still sealed on the flyover and only one lane on each side has been opened, which is leading to a huge traffic congestion.

A large number of industrial units are operational adjoining the border area in Ferozepur. Scores of vegetable, milk and other products are being supplied to Delhi and adjoining areas through the border.

The Delhi Police had made a multi-layer barricading at the Auchandi border and sealed it by putting the cemented blocks and huge containers filled with soil on February 13 after a scuffle occurred among the agitating farmers and security forces at the Shambhu border on NH-44.

The Delhi Police removed the cemented barricades from the border on Wednesday evening after 22 days, due to which the commuters were relieved. The traffic movement is smooth after the removal of the cemented barricades. Earlier, the Delhi Police had relieved the commuters by opening a lane on each side of the service roads on the Singhu border on February 26.

However, the commuters were forced to face traffic congestion on the Singhu border and on the highway. The flyover at the Singhu border is still sealed. People have demanded the opening of the borders at the earliest.

The Sonepat Depot has started the operation of all buses on long routes in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. However, the buses were plying through the diverted routes, which has also affected the revenue of the depot.

Sanjay Kumar, GM, Sonepat Depot, said to provide the facility to the people, the buses were plying on almost all routes. Some routes, which were earlier blocked due to the ongoing farmers’ protests had been made operational now, he said.