Noida: A major traffic snarl disrupted daily life on the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) Flyway on Monday as farmers from Uttar Pradesh began their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, demanding compensation and agricultural benefits. Long queues of vehicles could be seen stuck on the flyway, leaving commuters stranded for hours.  Farmers were seen climbing over the barricades in Noida to cross over to Delhi

Farmers Demand Legal MSP Guarantee  

The protest, led by the Bhartiya Kisan Parishad (BKP) along with other farmer groups such as the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), aims to press for compensation and a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP). BKP leader Sukhbir Khalifa announced the march on Sunday, saying, “We will begin our march from under the Maha Maya flyover in Noida at noon on December 2. We demand our rightful benefits as per the new agricultural laws.”  

Besides a legal guarantee on the MSP, the protesters are demanding a farm loan waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in the electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

Heightened Security, Traffic Diversions  

Anticipating disruptions, the Noida Police ramped up security and began conducting stringent vehicle checks at all border points. Barricades have been installed to monitor traffic flow, and diversions have been implemented to prevent bottlenecks. A traffic advisory issued on Monday, urging commuters to plan their travel accordingly.  

The Delhi Police and the Gautam Buddh Nagar have made adequate arrangements as part of the security arrangements amid protest march. The police have set up barriers at all borders between Greater Noida, Noida and Delhi and will conduct intensive checks at all the police pickets. Further, in situations of heavy traffic congestion, the traffic police may implement traffic diversions to manage the flow of vehicles.

The commuters travelling between Delhi to Noida and Greater Noida are strongly advised to use the metro services to minimise the impact of potential traffic jams. In the advisory, the Noida Traffic police have specifically said that all types of goods vehicles will be restricted from entering Delhi via the Yamuna Expressway to Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, and from Sirsa to Surajpur towards Pari Chowk.

Commuters Face Hours-Long Delays  

Visuals from the scene showed long lines of vehicles on the DND Flyway, causing significant inconvenience to daily commuters. Many complained of being stuck in traffic for hours as police carried out inspections to ensure safety and maintain order.  

The first group of farmers, led by Khalifa, to start their march at noon, with hundreds gathering at the Maha Maya flyover to proceed towards Delhi. As the march continues, authorities have urged commuters to use alternative routes to avoid getting caught in the congestion.