From Sector 34 to 43: SKM finally gets a venue as Chandigarh braces for major farmer protest tomorrow

A six-member SKM delegation met SSP Kanwardeep Kaur and senior Chandigarh Police officers on Monday to resolve the issue. Following the meeting, the administration allotted the Sector 43 Dussehra Ground for the rally and earmarked the adjoining sabzi mandi for parking tractors, trolleys and other vehicles arriving from across Punjab. The rally will run from 11 am to 3 pm.

The SSP confirmed that the unions had formally requested permission for a rally space. “We have designated the Sector 43 ground for the unions to hold their rally peacefully. Over 3,000 policemen will be deployed to keep a close watch on the gathering and maintain law and order. As of now, no decision has been taken to seal the city’s borders,” she said.

The protest coincides with a shutdown call issued by the Panjab University (PU) Bachao Morcha, which is demanding the much-delayed university’s Senate election schedule. The simultaneous protests are likely to exert heavy pressure on the city’s traffic network, especially along key entry roads and areas adjoining the university.

This was not the first option placed before the unions. On November 21, the DCP had suggested the Sector 39 Green Market, but SKM rejected it as too congested to safely host a state-level programme with a large turnout.

Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said that the administration approved their request for a protest venue, adding that members from multiple organisations are set to assemble in Chandigarh. “Our rally marks the fifth anniversary march of the SKM and also highlights certain issues concerning Punjab,” Rajewal stated.

Large turnout expected

Mobilisation for the rally has been underway for weeks across Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. According to SKM’s Raminder, more than 7,000 farmers from Punjab alone are expected to reach Chandigarh, and preparations will continue “right till the morning of the rally”.

Raminder told The Indian Express that the unions will submit a memorandum to both the Union government and the Punjab government.

At the national level, the memorandum reiterates the demand for a statutory guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) based on the C2+50% formula with assured procurement. The unions say that without a legal framework, farmers continue selling key crops far below the existing MSP. A comprehensive loan waiver is also on the list, with unions pointing to rising indebtedness and the spread of aggressive micro-finance lending in several districts.

Trade unions aligned with SKM have added their own longstanding demands: repeal of the four Labour Codes; expanding MGNREGS to 200 days of work at higher wages; recognition of severe floods as national disasters to ensure timely compensation; withdrawal of the Draft Seed Bill 2025, which they say undermines seed sovereignty; and strengthening federalism by raising states’ share in the divisible pool to 60 per cent.

A second set of Punjab-specific issues sharpens this year’s agitation. Flood-hit farmers say damage from last year remains unresolved, with delays in compensation and disputes over eligibility. Unions also point to uncertainty around power-sector reforms. The Centre’s draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2025 has revived fears of privatisation, and engineers, employees and farm groups say the state has yet to articulate a clear position. Sugarcane farmers, meanwhile, say annual concerns over pricing and payments remain unaddressed.

Even as the farmers prepare to march again, the PU Bachao Morcha has announced a complete shutdown of Panjab University on November 26. Manika, a member of PSU Lalkar involved in the ongoing agitation on campus, said, “On November 26, all gates, the administrative block, STUC, and the market area inside the university will remain closed.”

Pressure on traffic system

The city administration remains alert because of the recent disruption on November 10, when a rally supporting the PU Senate polls issue plunged the traffic system into chaos. With university gates sealed that day, key city arteries were jammed for hours. Protesters stormed campus gates, breaking locks and clashing with security. The incident led to police registering a criminal case over the violence and damage to property.

The combination of the SKM march and the PU shutdown is likely to create multiple pressure points across the Tricity. Commuters may experience delays or diversions near Sector 43, the university, and other central junctions, depending on the movement of unions approaching the city from Mohali and other adjoining districts.

SSP Traffic and Security, Chandigarh Police, Sumer Partap Singh, said that a detailed traffic plan is being finalised. “We are working out a movement strategy for November 26 to ensure minimal inconvenience to the public. Necessary diversions will be implemented wherever required and the general public will be intimated with prior notice” he said.

With the twin protests converging on the same day, residents have been advised to stay updated on traffic advisories and avoid non-essential travel through high-density corridors.

Shruti Bedi is an intern with The Indian Express