NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the removal of roadblocks on National Highway 44 at the Singhu Border as it has been causing inconvenience to commuters.
A division bench consisting of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela advised the petitioners to file a formal representation with the Delhi Police Commissioner to expedite the matter. The court highlighted that the petitioners had directly approached the court without involving the Delhi Police, which had not been made a party in the PIL.
The petitioners, Shankar Mor, Sachin Aneja, and Eknoor Singh, who commute between Delhi and Gurugram, claimed that the prolonged road closure had led to significant delays, turning what should have been short commutes into hours-long traffic jams.
During the proceedings, it was brought to the court’s attention that despite the absence of a farmers’ protest for over seven months, barricades and roadblocks remained at the Singhu Border.
Chief Justice Manmohan noted that the court was not the appropriate body to decide on such matters and that authorities might have intelligence reasons for maintaining the roadblocks.
“There could be some intelligence inputs, we are not sure,” remarked the Chief Justice, urging the petitioners first to address their grievances through proper channels.
The petitioners argued that the blockade was causing severe disruption, particularly for emergency services like ambulances and school buses. They further criticised the poor condition of alternative routes, which were described as unsafe and prone to traffic congestion. The PIL also contended that the blockade, without proper alternate routes or signages, violated citizens’ right to freedom of movement under Article 19(1)(d) of the Indian Constitution.
After farmers’ organisations announced a ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march in February this year to press the Centre to fulfill their demands, which included a legal guarantee of the minimum support price (MSP), authorities placed blockades at the Singhu border to halt their march. The blockades remain there.