NOIDA: Security was beefed up on the borders of Ghaziabad and Noida with Delhi while traffic movement on some key routes was hit on Monday morning due to the Bharat bandh called by a section of farmers against the Centre's three agri laws.
The Ghaziabad police closed a national highway that connects Ghaziabad and Nizamuddin in Delhi.
At the UP Gate, which is also the protest site of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) since November last year, police have put up barricades on the highway to check vehicles.
"Nobody is allowed to travel from this route between Delhi and Ghaziabad due to the Bharat bandh call," superintendent of police (second) Gyanendra Singh said.
Apart from UP Gate at Ghazipur border, all three borders between Delhi and Ghaziabad -- Anand Vihar, Dilshad Garden-Apsara Cinema, and Tulsi Niketan -- are open, the SP said.
Meanwhile, the Noida traffic police also cautioned commuters against taking the routes passing through Ghazipur in adjoining Ghaziabad for travelling to or from Delhi.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of over 40 farmers' unions leading the 10-month-old agitation for withdrawal of three contentious farm laws, has called for the Bharat bandh on Monday.
"Routes between Noida and Delhi via Chilla and DND flyway are open. But there was an increased traffic on these routes during the peak office hours. The traffic movement had slowed down a bit because of the pressure," a traffic police official said.
On the other side, the expressways, including the Yamuna Expressway, leading from Greater Noida into the interior districts of Uttar Pradesh like Mathura, Agra, Aligarh, Lucknow, among others were open without any hindrance in the morning, according to officials.
The Delhi Police also increased security checks at its border points which led to the slowing down of traffic.
The dual carriageway at Ghazipur border was closed for traffic by Delhi Police which informed commuters about road closures and traffic snarls on Twitter.
"Due to blocking of National Highway 24 and 9 by protesters, commuters coming from Sarai Kale Khan can take alternate route for Ghaziabad i.e. Vikas Marg for Ghaziabad and for Noida via DND," the traffic police said on Twitter.
"The Ghazipur border is closed for traffic from both sides due to farmers' protests. Commuters wishing to commute to and fro between UP and Delhi may use DND flyway, Vikas Marg, Signature bridge, and Wazirabad road. Traffic on NH 24 and 9 is being diverted towards Maharajpur, Apsara and Bhopura borders," it said in a tweet.
