Mahamaya flyover gridlocked for 2 hours as farmers protest

Snarls were reported from both sides of the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway at the Mahamaya flyover and adjoining areas from Tuesday morning after thousands of farmers gathered on the three-lane flyover—blocking two lanes—to wait for Rakesh Tikait, a national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) from Uttar Pradesh, to join them in the protest against Noida authority.

Hassled commuters took to social media to vent their ire after being stuck in traffic for one to two hours, even as traffic police insisted that traffic was moving at a slow pace as the farmers stopped on the Mahamaya flyover along with their vehicles, including tractor-trolleys.

Traffic inspector Ram Singh said farmers started gathering at the Mahamaya flyover around 11am. As they blocked the flyover to wait for their leader, traffic police rushed to the spot and asked them to park their vehicles on one of three lanes of the Mahamaya flyover.

“For a short period of time, the traffic heading towards Delhi was diverted towards Charkha roundabout via Sector 94 underpass, but later, as two lanes were open, traffic started moving at a slow pace,” said inspector Singh, adding that around 50 constables, 10 sub-inspectors, three inspectors, and a traffic deputy commissioner of police were deployed at the spot till traffic cleared and farmers left for the Noida authority office to continue their protest.

The inspector said as more than 5000 farmers were gathered at the flyover in their vehicles, and the six-lane expressway traffic was limited to just two lanes, the traffic congestion took place for a short period of time until the traffic police diverted traffic and opened the flyover lanes blocked by farmers.

Abhinav Sharma, a resident of Sector 128, said he left home around 10.30am to reach his office in Okhla, but after he got on to the expressway, he was stunned to witness a long queue of vehicles and stuck in traffic for around one-and-a-half hours. According to Sharma, he was stranded in a snarl that stretched for almost 2km from Mahamaya flyover to Sector 126.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Preeti Yadav said traffic was moving at a slow pace for a short period of time as public vehicles plus farmer vehicles had suddenly gathered on the flyover.

Tikait said, “We are protesting against the Noida authority because they are demolishing old abadi of farmers and not giving them land for residential purposes. If they continue to act against farmers in this manner, then our agitation will continue.”