Farmers gear up for week-long Chandigarh-Mohali protest, announce route

At a time when the Punjab government is grappling with an agitation by employee unions, another major protest is set to begin in Chandigarh and Mohali, with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) gearing up for a week-long dharna from September 1 to September 7.

The SKM has issued a detailed route and parking plan to its constituent farmer organisations across Punjab. While hundreds of tractor-trolleys and trucks are being prepared in villages to ferry farmers and ration to the protest site, some participants are also expected to travel by train and buses.

Earlier, the SKM claimed a site between Sectors 49 and 51 had been allotted for its protest, but Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur subsequently denied it. “Following a meeting of the SKM’s Punjab unit with the Chandigarh and Mohali administrations, we have got approval for the protest site in Sector 48-C.

It will be on one side of the road leading from the IISER T-point towards Tribune Chowk,” said Raminder Singh Patiala, a national coordination committee member of the SKM, while talking to The Indian Express. As per the route plan circulated by the SKM, the designated protest area begins beyond the Bestech Square Mall intersection, the next traffic-light crossing after the IISER T-point.

The main protest venue will be around 2.5-2.75 km beyond the intersection towards Tribune Chowk, after the Sector 48-C Motor Market and Jagatpura turn. Farmers have been asked to park their vehicles along the three-lane road on the left side.

The SKM has also identified nearby parks and the Mohali Golf Club, where a stage had been set up during the farmers’ three-day protest in 2023, for parking and other arrangements, say the instructions. Another traffic-light intersection on the road coming from Amb Sahib Gurdwara has been marked to be kept clear.

Once the designated stretch beyond Bestech Square Mall is filled, tractor-trolleys will be parked along one side of the road leading towards the Mohali railway station. The road, also known as Bawa Light House Road or New Airport Road, stretches for around 4-5 km towards the airport, said Patiala.

The SKM has issued separate route instructions for farmers arriving from different parts of Punjab. Those coming from the Jalandhar-Ludhiana side have been asked to take the Airport Road from Gopal Sweets Chowk after Kharar and proceed directly towards the IISER T-point.

Farmers arriving from Sirhind have been asked to travel via Landran Chowk and Gurdwara Sohana Sahib before taking Airport Road. Those coming from the Rajpura side have been asked to cross Chhatbir and take Airport Road from the traffic-light intersection before reaching the IISER T-point.

A section of the proposed protest area falls in Mohali, while the remaining portion is in Chandigarh. Farmers are expected to arrive with tractor-trolleys carrying rations and other essential supplies, with the protest planned to continue for a week.

The SKM comprises 32 farmer organisations, including prominent unions such as the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rajewal, BKU Dakaunda, Kirti Kisan Union, BKU Shadipur, and Punjab Kisan Union. BKU Ugrahan, an associate member of the SKM, is not part of the Chandigarh-Mohali dharna.

On Sunday afternoon, BKU (Ugrahan) launched indefinite dharnas outside the deputy commissioners’ offices in 17 districts. It has also extended support to the protests by government employees. While preparations are underway, farmer leaders have expressed apprehension that the government could create hurdles for farmers travelling towards Chandigarh.

The SKM has said that the main stage will be installed at the protest site on Monday evening. The Indian Express could not get a response from Chandigarh SSP Kaur and Deputy Inspector General (Ropar range) Nanak Singh on whether the administrations were prepared for the expected influx of vehicles in Chandigarh and Mohali and whether formal permission had been granted for the week-long protest on the identified road stretch.

The SKM's demands include scrapping all previous agreements concerning Punjab’s river waters by convening a special session of the Assembly. It has also demanded the restoration of Punjab’s representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), repeal of the Dam Safety Act, and the withdrawal of the Disaster Management Act 2024.

The farmers’ body has sought legally guaranteed minimum support prices (MSP) for all crops in accordance with the recommendations of the Dr Swaminathan Commission.