Traffic 'Not Normal': Punjab & Haryana HC Disagrees With State After Part Clearance Of Blockade By Protestors Seeking Release Of Sikh Prisoners In Mohali

The Punjab & Haryana High Court on Monday remarked that even though Punjab government claims that there is smooth flow of traffic with clearance of blockade on one side of road adjoining YPS Chowk by protestors seeking release of Sikh prisoners, it cannot be said that the traffic is "normal".

Bench of Justices GS Sandhawalia and Alok Jain expressed hope that there will be further progress in the matter and concerned authorities will take apposite steps.

Quami Insaaf Morcha has been sitting on dharna on the road adjoining YPS Chowk from Chandigarh to Mohali, leading to severe traffic issues. State claimed protestors are using "religious and emotional sentiments" and have also opened Prakash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

The Court had earlier warned that it would get the roads cleared by using force, if necessary. "Public roads cannot be blocked and general public cannot be put to inconvenience," it had said.

Following this, the concerned authorities interacted with the representatives of Quami Insaaf Morcha and reached a settlement to open one side of the road.

"As a result of sincere and dedicated efforts of district administration, one side of the road running from Mohali to Chandigarh adjoining YPS School has now been opened for normal flow of traffic and now there is normal and smooth flow of traffic from YPS Chowk towards Chandigarh side and vice-versa," State claimed.

However, the Court observed that opening of the road on one side though has brought some respite to the commuters and residents of the area but, "it cannot be said that there is normal and smooth flow of traffic, as has been averred in the affidavit."

The development comes in the plea filed by NGO Arrive Safe Society for removal of “encroachment" by the protestors. According to the petition, the members of several Sikh bodies and others are supporting the demands of the morcha. The protesters have been seeking the release of Sikh prisoners, including Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in former Punjab CM Beant Singh’s assassination, the petition said. The protesters also demand the release of Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, a 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict, it adds.

"The sole concern of the Court is that the public roads cannot be blocked and ingress and out-gress to the tricity cannot be as such fettered in the manner which is causing immense inconvenience to the commuters and the residents of the area...the respondents have been dragging their feet," the Court had remarked previously.

Case Title: Arrive Safe Society v. State Of Punjab & Ors.

Appearance: Ravi Kamal Gupta for the Advocate for the petitioner in CWP-PIL-22-2023).

Lalit Singh, and Versha Sharma, Advocates, for the petitioner (in CWP-11390-2023).

Vinod Ghai, AG, Punjab with. V.G. Jauhar, A. A.G., Punjab.

Ashu Mohan Punchhi, PP for U.T. Chandigarh.

Click here to download/read the order.