Snarls over tractor rally in Ghaziabad, protest in Noida

 Traffic on the NoidaGreater Noida expressway was affected briefly on Monday afternoon as farmers affiliated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU-Tikait) reached Mahamaya flyover via the expressway and staged a sit-in protest there.

- Arun Singh

The Noida police made arrangements under the flyover in the vacant green belt for farmers, who parked their tractors there before staging a peaceful protest, after which normal traffic flow was restored. Another group of farmers held a simultaneous protest in Jewar.

Rajneesh Verma, assistant commissioner of police, Noida, said, "There were three to four groups of farmers affiliated to BKU that protested on Monday. One group was protesting in Jewar, another in central Noida, and a third near Mahamaya flyover." "Noida farmers started their protest from Shafipur village and reached Mahamaya flyover using the expressway," said Verma.

The famers' movement on the expressway at 1pm crippled traffic and led to widespread snarls. However, the Noida police placed barricades near Mahamaya flyover and diverted the protesters to the green belt. At least 50 farmers on 30 tractors protested for around three hours. The protest wrapped up at 4pm, said officers.