Dera verdict brings traffic down to a trickle on NH-22

Himalayan Expressway toll plaza in Panchkula on Saturday. Sahil Walia

THE RUN-UP to the verdict and the violence thereafter in Panchkula brought traffic on National Highway 22 down to a mere 10 per cent in the past two days. The Zirakpur-Panchkula-Kalka highway comes under NH-22 and vehicles, going to Shimla from Delhi, usually take this highway. After the Dera followers hinted at violence following the pronouncement of the verdict, the Panchkula administration had put restrictions on some movement towards it but NH-22 was mostly free. Still, commuters did not use the highway as they knew that Dera goons had parked themselves nearby.

An employee of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at NH-22 said around 40,000 vehicles ply on an average from the toll plaza on the highway near Panchkula but may be due to the fear of violence, commuters did not cross from there.

On August 24 and August 25, an average of just 10 per cent of the 40,000 vehicles crossed the toll plaza. On Friday, the day of the verdict, there were some restrictions on NH-22 due to the arrival of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim as his followers had also gathered on the flyover due to which no vehicles passed from here, informed the NHAI employee. Even on August 26, only a few light motor vehicles crossed the toll plaza whereas some trucks did pass through, he added.

On Saturday, by 5 pm, all restrictions on NH-22 were removed by the police. However, armed forces were deployed by the side of the highway.