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Bharat Bandh: Trains halted in Haryana, Punjab; road traffic affected in NCR

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Delhi-Haryan-Traffic

 Over two dozen trains were halted at various locations in Punjab and Haryana and road traffic towards Delhi was affected massively due to the Bharat Bandh call by farmers’ unions on Monday even as Delhi remained relatively undisturbed with almost normal road and metro traffic.

Work wise, offices, both private and government, remained functional, and even schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, and colleges were working according to the recent routine post-lockdown. Even all markets, big and small, remained functional across Delhi-NCR. Commuter movement remained unaffected as people freely used their own vehicles or auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and DTC buses.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a consortium of 100-odd farmers’ unions from across India, 15 trade unions and several political parties have jointly called a Bharat Bandh from 6 a.m. till 4 p.m. on Monday to mark the first anniversary of what they termed as a ‘Black Day’ when the President of India had given his assent to the three farm laws last year.

Within the city, Delhi Traffic Police had closed both carriageways across the iconic Red Fort since morning. The move came in wake of the turnout of events on January 26 when thousands of farmer protesters had barged across the security cordon, caused a lot of damage and planted two flags at the place where Indian Tricolour is hoisted on the Independence Day.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has shut down the Pandit Shree Ram metro station that is close to the Tikri border in western Delhi. However, at other places, the metro is functional without any delay.

Secretary general of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Praveen Khandelwal said, “All markets remained open not just in Delhi-NCR but across India. We are constantly in touch with our representatives everywhere. Things are normal.”

Situation at Delhi borders

The traffic turnout at Ghazipur border was normal till 8 a.m. while that from Uttar Pradesh towards the border was stopped except for police vehicles and ambulances. Farmers could be seen in large numbers sitting on the road and raising slogans against the farm laws.

This is the place where farmers’ leader Prakash Tikait and others have camped for the last ten months.

At the Tikri border, farmers have almost captured the Bahadurgarh Railway station and are squatting on the railway line. However, road traffic and life outside the railway station was normal, shops were open, people were moving around freely using two-wheelers and four-wheelers too.

While the security enforcement was strict at the metro station near the Tikri border, there was no disruption in metro rail services from that station.

The Loni border connecting the Baghpat Highway remained open to traffic with all entry and exit points at the Loni border witnessing no traffic disruption. However, security forces have been deployed at the border area in wake of the Bharat Bandh.

Local people told IANS, “There is no impact of Bharat Bandh in this area. The smooth traffic movement of daily commuters runs normal at the Delhi Loni Border. Market here will remain open as they can’t come here in this area.”

A shopkeeper also said that if farmers anyhow try to enter into Delhi via this route, the security forces will obstruct them at Khajuri DLF toll.

At the Singhu border, there were a large number of tractor trolleys parked but there were relatively very few people. This is one of the places where farmers have been sitting on protest since November 2020.

Around two and half km long stretch of Delhi-Karnal highway (at Singhu village), where a large number of farmers have always been seen during the last few months, on Monday bore an almost deserted look. Even the two stages erected for regular speeches and rallies were almost empty.

Jagdish Singh, a farmer from Ludhiana (Punjab) said, “Trolleys are vacant because people living in them have gone to block roads at Tikri and Delhi-Haryana border.”

“By evening the situation will be different and more and more people will be here,” Singh, who was busy preparing food for the protesters, told IANS.

People, who were at the Singhu protest site, were seen busy either preparing food or cleaning outside their tents.

Security at the outer premises of Singhu protest site has been strengthened with multiple teams of Delhi Police and Central forces deployed. People going towards Singhu from Delhi have to take a long circuitous way as entry on the Delhi-Karnal Road (at Singhu village) has been prohibited.

The commuters on the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway had to face a huge traffic congestion as the Delhi Police had put barriers at the Delhi-Gurugram border to keep a vigil on the farmers entering the national capital.

A heavy presence of security personnel was seen at the border. Apart from the central forces, the Delhi Police and the Gurugram Police personnel had barricaded the border. Due to this only two lanes from Jaipur towards Delhi were opened for commuters entering Delhi. The traffic movement on the National Highway-48 was slow and the vehicles were moving bumper to bumper.

Disruption in rail traffic towards Delhi

More than 20 locations are being blocked in Delhi-Ambala-Firozpur division and about 25 trains were affected due to the farmers sitting at the railway stations and railway lines.

The farmers were squatting at the Dera Bassi railway station on the Delhi-Chandigarh railway line, at Hisar-Delhi railway line and the Fatehgarh railway station in Charkhi Dadri area too.

“About 25 trains of the Northern Railways have been affected due to the farmers’ Bharat Bandh. These are all on the Delhi-Ambala-Bhatinda main railway line,” said Northern Railway’s chief public relations officer Deepak Kumar.

Trains starting from Delhi, New Delhi stations, including Shan-e-Punjab, New Delhi – Moga, Delhi-Pathankot, Vande Bharat Express towards Katra, and two Shatabdi trains, were cancelled among others.

Not entering Delhi: farmers’ union

Media Coordinator of Swaraj Abhiyan, which is also a part of this farmers’ consortium, Ashutosh agreed that all action was happening outside Delhi. Farmers from Delhi rural are protesting in their own areas but their protests won’t spill over to urban areas.

“We don’t plan to enter Delhi as of now. Farmers are not being allowed to enter Delhi and we are not even demanding anything new. So, there is no point in entering Delhi right now. Whenever we do, we will inform the government and enter,” Ashutosh, told IANS.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha had assured that the Bharat Bandh will be enforced in a voluntary and peaceful manner.

“So far, all the protests at Delhi borders have been peaceful and no untoward incident has been reported from anywhere,” Delhi police sources said.

Maharashtra

Joint site inspection to be conducted to effectively implement mosquito control measures, Ashwini Bhide directs

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Various agencies in Mumbai should cooperate in providing access to the Pest Control Department team during site visits in mosquito control measures. Mosquito control measures should be effectively implemented by providing necessary support to the Pest Control Department in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. Besides, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashwini Bhide directed that the objective should be to reduce the number of patients through preventive measures against monsoon diseases by the Municipal Corporation.

A review meeting of the Mosquito Control Committee was held at the Municipal Corporation Headquarters today (14 May 2026) under the chairmanship of Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide.

. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Vipin Sharma, Deputy Commissioner (Municipal Commissioner’s Office) Prashant Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner (Public Health) Sharad Uday, Executive Health Officer Dr. Daksha Shah, Pesticide Officer Amrit Suryavanshi were present in the meeting along with representatives of various government and semi-government organizations of Mumbai. Senior officers and representatives of government, semi-government organizations from Central Public Works Department, Mahada, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, Mumbai Port Trust, Navy, Air Force, BEST, Postal Department, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Dairy Department, Mahavataran, LIC, Airport Authority, Public Works Department, NTC attended the meeting. Obstacles in the access of the pest control team to places like dilapidated buildings, grassy areas, mill plots and containment areas of various agencies should be removed. There is a need to take mosquito control measures here with joint efforts. This will make it possible to control the increasing number of patients due to monsoon diseases. It has been observed that mosquito control measures have not been implemented for 6,160 water tanks in the premises of 21 agencies in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. A joint inspection visit should be organized in collaboration with the Pesticides Department of Mumbai Municipal Corporation and various agencies. Mumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashwini Bhide directed that various agencies should make joint efforts to implement preventive measures at mosquito breeding sites by May 31, 2026.

Training of over 5000 personnel at construction sites completed
Large-scale reconstruction of buildings is underway in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. Security officers and workers are being trained to implement mosquito control measures at construction project sites. More than 5000 personnel have been trained in mosquito control measures in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. A WhatsApp group has also been created for communication and coordination between security officers and the pest control department. As part of the monsoon measures, the pest control department has been conducting a drive since February to personally visit various establishments and inspect the covers installed on water tanks. During the inspection, it was observed that the covers of the water tanks were not in good condition and were not installed properly. It was also found that the work of removing obstructions and materials has not been completed. Engineering measures need to be implemented at some places. Various government and semi-government institutions have been directed to implement mosquito control measures before the monsoon through site visit campaigns. Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has directed that the mosquito control measures should be completed in a planned manner by 31 May 2026 through a joint campaign.

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Maharashtra

Eviction proceedings by ‘E’ Department against unauthorized hawkers, garages and scrap dealers on Tank Pakhri Marg, Hafiz Ali Bahadur Khan Marg

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Mumbai: The Municipal Corporation’s E-Department conducted eviction operations against about 40 encroachments at Water Street Corner, Tank Pakhri Marg and Hafiz Ali Bahadur Khan Marg in Ward No. 212 under the ‘E’ Department. Action was taken against unauthorized hawkers, garages and scrap dealers and others. Encroachments were removed by taking action against unauthorized benches, stalls and sheds. This operation was conducted under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner (Zone 1) Mrs. Chanda Jadhav and under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner Mr. Anand Kankal. It was observed that pedestrian movement was obstructed due to encroachments at Water Street Corner, Tank Pakhri Marg and Hafiz Ali Bahadur Khan Marg in the E section. In this context, the Protection and Encroachment Removal Departments working under the ‘E’ Administrative Division (Ward) of the Municipal Corporation jointly launched a drive. During this operation, action was taken against unauthorized shopkeepers. Encroachments on the footpath were removed. Action was also taken against unauthorized hawkers in the area. In addition, the road was cleared for traffic.

During this operation, which was carried out with the help of 1 JCB machine, 03 vehicles and 20 workers, the encroachment removal team included a senior inspector, license inspector, vehicle and staff, as well as a secondary engineer, junior engineer, vehicles and staff of the security department. Adequate security was deployed by Nagpada Police Station. Meanwhile, the administration is making it clear that regular action will continue against unauthorized constructions and unauthorized hawkers.

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Maharashtra

Drain cleaning work should also be expedited, but the quality of work should not be compromised, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has instructed the administration.

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation administration is carrying out the work of removing silt from rivers and small and big drains in Mumbai. These works should be completed by May 31, 2026.

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde said that in places where silt and garbage still accumulate in drains, the speed of garbage removal from such drains should be increased and the quality of work should also be improved. While doing road work, also take care of utility channels. Mayor Tawde also gave important instructions to provide adequate water to the trees by covering the soil around the base of trees on both sides of the road. As part of the pre-monsoon works, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation is carrying out road works at a fast pace along with the work of removing garbage from rivers and drains across the Mumbai metropolitan city. Under this, work was done in the western suburbs at Orlim Church Road, Marve Road in Malad (West), Ramchandra Nallah near D-Mart, Oshiwara River near Mega Mall in Goregaon (West), Arla Nallah and Sant Kabir Marg in Juhu, SNDT Nallah near Gazdhar Bandh Adanchan Kendra and Marugandra area in Kharge area. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde inspected the relevant areas this morning (14 May 2026). He gave various instructions to the officers present on the occasion. Chairman of ‘P East’ and ‘P West’ Divisional Committee Haider Ali Aslam Sheikh, Chairman of ‘K Pachham’ Ward Committee Rohan Rathod, Corporator Mr. Deepak Kotekar, Corporator Chintamani Nyote, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 4) Dr. Bhagya Shri Kapse, Assistant Commissioner (P North) Kundan Valvi, Assistant Commissioner (H West) D.W., Assistant Commissioner (H West) D.W., D.W. Ale, Assistant Commissioner (H East) Mridula Ande, Deputy Chief Engineer (Rainwater Drainage) (Western Suburbs) Ramakant More, Executive Engineer (Roads) Abhijeet Angle and other concerned officers were present on the occasion. The monsoon season is approaching. Therefore, the current pace of the drain cleaning work should be increased and the work should be completed within the stipulated time. However, Mayor Ritu Tawde gave instructions that while increasing the pace of the work, there should be no compromise in the quality.

Although the cleaning of the SNDT drain near Maloni drain in Malad West area and the Gazdharband Udanchan Kendra in Khar area is ongoing, Mayor Tawde instructed to increase the pace of work at both the places in view of the time available and the remaining cleaning requirement. He also said that he will once again make a surprise visit to these two drains. During the inspection of the Arla drain in Juhu, the Mayor interacted with the local citizens. The protective wall on one side of this drain is in a dilapidated condition. Many citizens come to this place early in the morning to cycle. They come for exercise.

Therefore, Mayor Tawde instructed that the repair work of this wall should be started immediately for the safety of the citizens. He also interacted with the sanitation workers present at the place and informed them about how the daily work is carried out. The Mayor also visited the Gazdharband Udanchan Kendra in Khar area. He inspected the computer system, control room and waste segregation through dustbins. He also asked the engineers how the flood control gate works during high tides.

During the same visit, Mayor Ritu Tawde inspected Orlim Church Road in Malad (West), Marve Road in Juhu, Sant Kabir Road in Juhu and Harne Guruji Road in Bandra (East). While constructing cement concrete roads, care should be taken of the trees along the roads. Mayor Tawde also directed to fill the soil around the base of the trees so that their roots do not get exposed. The Mayor also inspected the nets and covers on the rainwater channels passing under the roads. He also directed to take precautionary measures to ensure that water does not accumulate on the roads during the monsoon season and the local residents are not inconvenienced during cement concreting.

During this inspection visit, Mayor Ritu Tawde also visited the Maharana Pratap Playground in Malad West area. Former corporator Jaya Tuana gave information about the development of the said playground. The Mayor appreciated the facilities prepared for children to play in this playground. He also said that preference would be given to setting up such playgrounds on open plots in Mumbai. The Mayor also suggested that the concept of urban agriculture can be implemented by creating a steam in the open space around this playground.

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