Farmers' journey back home slows down traffic on Delhi-Sonipat-Karnal NH

Traffic slowed down on the Delhi-Sonipat-Karnal National Highway (NH) on Saturday as farmers began returning to their home states of Punjab and Haryana in large convoys of tractors and other vehicles, officials said.

Vehicles were moving in long queues on the highway.

In view of the large convoy of tractor-trolleys and other vehicles, traffic snarls could be witnessed at many places on the NH.

Families of farmers along with fellow villagers at many places enroute were welcoming the peasants from Punjab and Haryana with garlands, 'ladoos', 'barfi' and other sweets upon their return to their homes after the suspension of the one-year-long agitation against the Centre's three farm laws.

"Langar" arrangements had also been made at some places enroute.

A traffic police official from Sonipat said that traffic on the Sonipat-Karnal NH was moving slowly.

He said a few odd vehicles were trying to use the wrong side of the highway, which was adding to the traffic snarls.

Also read: Farmers' unions to honour locals who lent a helping hand to their agitation

On the Delhi-Rohtak national highway too, the traffic movement at some points had slowed down with a large number of farmers on their way back to homes.

Several police personnel have been deployed at various points on key highways for traffic management.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, on Thursday had decided to suspend the farmers' movement against the three contentious farm laws and announced that farmers would go back home on December 11 from the protest sites on Delhi's borders.

Villagers and others who supported farmers' agitation, carrying farmer bodies' flags, showered petals on peasants as they assembled on the roadside of the highways to welcome them.

The Haryana Police had said on Friday that it has made elaborate arrangements to ensure hassle-free movement of traffic on national highways in the state.

A Haryana Police spokesperson had said Superintendents of Police have been instructed to ensure appropriate traffic, security, and law and order arrangements to ensure smooth flow of traffic in all districts between Delhi and Ambala, and Bahadurgarh and Hisar/Jind.

Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, started protesting at Delhi border points on November 26 last year against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

These laws were recently repealed.

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