Farmers Seek Land Acquisition Compensation, Protest on DND Flyway

Police have advised people not to use the DND, and instead opt for alternate roads via Mayur Vihar and Kalindi Kunj.

Farmers on the DND flyway tie their hands as a mark of protest demanding compensation for land acquired by the UP government.

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Sandeep Suman
Video Producer: Anubhav Mishra

Commuters traveling via the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) flyway may face a temporary halt after farmers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh resumed their protest on Saturday, 2 February.

The DND flyway, which is one of the most crucial routes connecting Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, witnessed a temporary standstill on the evening of 1 February due to the farmers’ protest.

On the first day of the Friday’s protest, over 500 farmers part of the Kisan Uday Abhiyan descended from various parts of Uttar Pradesh – demanding compensation for land acquired by the UP government.

“In 2008, the then-BSP government at the state and Congress at the Centre invoked Section 17 of the Land Acquisition Act and wrongfully acquired land belonging to the farmers for the construction of the Yamuna Expressway. The incumbent BJP had assured us that farmers will be compensated for those land, however nothing has been done for us.”

Shahabuddin Khan, farmer from Shikarpur

(Photo: The Quint)

Other farmers alleged that the protest has been going on the last 26 months, but the government has neglected their compensation demand.

DND Shuts Due to Farmer’s Protest on 1 Feb

Delhi Traffic police on Friday had warned commuters traveling via DND to take alternate routes as the flyway was shut for an hour.

When asked about whether the halt was caused due to the protest, farmers told The Quint that the protest is peaceful and they had no role on causing troubles to the commuters.

“We were on our way to the Prime Minister’s office to table our problems. We were peacefully traveling via one lane but the traffic police had stopped our procession, therefore, shutting the flyway.”

Bhramanand, farmer from Mandola

Addressing the media, District Magistrate BN Sing said a delegation of five farmers will meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the coming week to resolve their issues. He added that the farmers are demanding to stay at the spot to continue their protest.