Chandigarh: Farmer organizations have called for Punjab bandh from 7 am to 4 pm on Monday in support of their demands. During this time, everything except emergency services will remain closed.
Farmer leaders have urged the closure of roads, railways, shops, and business establishments. In response, Northern Railway has announced the cancellation of 107 trains heading to Punjab.
Why Punjab Bandh happening?
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher confirmed the bandh and said that letters had been sent to the Prime Minister and Supreme Court judges but received no response. As a result, the decision to call for a Punjab bandh was made, citing the government’s unwillingness to hold talks as the reason.
Pandher added that while the bandh will be complete, emergency services will remain operational. Travelers heading to the airport, attending job interview or participating in marriage functions are exempt from the bandh.
Farmer leaders have been deployed across Punjab to ensure the bandh’s success. They have also appealed to farmers to cooperate in making the bandh effective.
Separately, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, currently on a hunger strike at Punjab-Haryana Khanauri border, criticized both the Centre and the Punjab government. He accused Punjab government of following the Centre’s lead in attempting to suppress the farmers’ movement. Dallewal urged people to join the protest to prevent it from being dismantled.
Despite a Supreme Court order for Dallewal to be hospitalized, both he and the farmer organizations have refused, continuing their hunger strike. A Supreme Court hearing on the matter is scheduled for December 31.
Punjab DIG Jaskaran Singh visited Khanauri border to meet with Dallewal and the farmers, but the organizations refused to engage with him.
For the past 10 months, farmers have been protesting to demand a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops. These protests have been centered at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. While farmers at the Shambhu border previously planned marches to Delhi, they postponed these after facing police lathi charges.
Route diversions due to Punjab bandh
In light of the Punjab bandh, traffic on key routes may be disrupted. Alternate routes have been planned to ensure smooth travel:
Delhi to Chandigarh:
- Route 1: Delhi → Sonipat → Panipat → Karnal → Indri → Ladwa → Yamunanagar (NH-344A) → Mullana → Shahzadpur → Panchkula → Chandigarh.
- Route 2: Delhi → Sonipat → Panipat → Karnal → Kurukshetra → Shahbad → Saha → Shahzadpur → Panchkula → Chandigarh.
Chandigarh to Delhi:
- Route 1: Panchkula → Ramgarh → Barwala → Shahzadpur → Mullana → NH-344 → Yamunanagar → Radaur → Ladwa → Indri → Karnal → Panipat → Sonipat → Delhi.
- Route 2: Panchkula → Ramgarh → Shahzadpur → Saha → Shahbad → Pipli → Karnal → Delhi.
Hisar to Chandigarh:
- Route 1: Barwala → Narwana → Kaithal → Kurukshetra → Shahbad → Saha → Shahzadpur → Panchkula → Chandigarh.
- Route 2: Barwala → Narwana → Kaithal → Pehowa → Thol → Shahbad → Saha → Shahzadpur → Panchkula → Chandigarh.
Chandigarh to Hisar:
- Panchkula → Shahzadpur → Saha → Shahbad → Kurukshetra → Kaithal → Narwana → Barwala → Hisar.
Ambala to Chandigarh:
- Ambala Cantt → Capital Chowk → Saha → Shahzadpur → Ramgarh → Panchkula → Chandigarh.
Ambala to Naraingarh:
- Ambala Cantt → Capital Chowk → Saha → Shahzadpur → Naraingarh.
