Delhi-Noida road via Jamia reopens after two months

New Delhi : Two months after the CAA and NRC protesters had blocked the Jamia-Noida road; the authorities have managed to reopen the route, ending woes of the Noida-Delhi-Faridabad commuters. 

The road closure had been one of the major point of contention against the protest and has been the subject of a Supreme Court-authorised mediation.

Since December last year, Shaheen Bagh had been the epicenter of the protests against NRC and CAA following a brutal police crackdown on demonstrators in the neighbouring Jamia Millia Islamia that left over 200 students and around 30 policemen injured.

The protest was massively criticized by the BJP during election campaign. While the saffron party accused protesters of creating trouble for the Delhi-Noida commuters, the Police claimed that they have closed the alternative routes in order to provide safety to the protesters.

After the roadblock was challenged in the Supreme Court, senior advocates Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran were named as mediators on Monday. They were tasked with persuading the protesters to continue their agitation in another location.

"When we checked on the roads, we noticed that you (protesters) were right. Many roads are open, which were blocked by the police. I am very upset to say that the Noida-Faridabad road, which was opened on Friday, was again closed by the police. Whoever has done this is now answerable to the Supreme Court," Ramachandran said.

The Delhi Police told the interlocutors that the alternative roads have been closed in order to ensure safety of the protesters at Shaheen Bagh.

Speaking to PTI, a senior police officer in Noida Rajesh S said that the restrictions are a "conscious" decision of the Noida Police. He added that the day the Delhi Police decides to lift the restrictions, "we will also do it on our side".