Haryana will remove blockades at the Shambhu border once the situation on Punjab’s side is deemed safe and peaceful, official sources said on Tuesday. A senior official stated that since barricades and protestors are being cleared from Punjab’s side, Haryana will follow suit.
Despite the ongoing process, police deployment on Haryana’s side remains intact. Senior police officers arrived in Ambala on Tuesday night to monitor the situation. As of late evening, six companies of police personnel were stationed at the Shambhu border.
Union minister of state Ravneet Singh Bittu said that with dharnas lifted from both locations, he has urged Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini to remove the highway barricades. “They have assured an early operation from Haryana’s side as well. It will take at least three days to clear all the barricades and open the road for public use,” Bittu said.
The Haryana government had fortified the Shambhu border with multiple layers of barricades, including concrete blocks, iron nails, and shipping containers, to prevent members of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha from advancing towards Delhi early last year. Large concrete walls were erected, and trenches were dug along the highway to create additional obstacles. Security personnel had also placed heavy iron spikes and barbed wire fencing at key entry points.
Over the past months, these barriers and the protesters camping at the Shambhu border had significantly disrupted traffic movement between Punjab and Haryana, affecting commuters and businesses. The Haryana police had maintained that these were necessary to keep protesting farmers from moving to Delhi. Many travellers had to take longer detours, while local shopkeepers and transporters reported heavy losses due to restricted movement.
With the clearance operation underway, officials have indicated that dismantling the barricades will be a gradual process. Given the scale of fortifications, authorities estimate that removing all obstacles and restoring normal traffic flow could take a few days.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd