Talks to open Tikri border inconclusive

Tribune News Service

Jhajjar, October 29

A joint meeting of police officials of Jhajjar and Delhi, farmers and industrialists held in Bahadurgarh town here today over the opening of one side of the National Highway-9 (Rohtak-Delhi) at the Tikri border for vehicular traffic remained inconclusive as farmers raised objection over the district administration’s proposal of letting four-wheelers ply on the highway, citing security reasons.

“We are ready to give 5 feet path to two-wheelers and ambulances to cross the Tikri border, but cannot allow opening up one side of the highway for four-wheelers, as it may pose a threat to safety of the farmers who have been staying put along the highway for the past 11 months. The issue will now be discussed at the Samyukt Kisan Morch (SKM)’s meeting scheduled on November 6 and till then, the border remains shut as usual,” said Buta Singh, a farmer leader, after the meeting.

He claimed that officials of Haryana and Delhi had different opinions over the issue. “The Delhi police do not want people from the Haryana side to enter Delhi from Tikri, but are ready to let people from the Delhi side enter Haryana while the Haryana officials want the opening of the highway from both sides,” he added.

Singh maintained that farmers might insist on marching towards Delhi after the opening of the border, hence all these issues would be discussed at a proposed meeting of the SKM before allowing the authorities to open the border.

Shyam Lal Punia, Deputy Commissioner, said the farmers were given the proposal of allowing only non-commercial vehicles on the highway, as a large number of people daily travel to Delhi in their cars, but they did not agree and sought time to discuss the proposal with the SKM.