Why roads still blocked, find solution: SC to Centre on blockade of roads due to farmers protest

(Credits: PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday (August 23, 2021) asked the Centre to find a solution to the blockade of roads due to the farmers` ongoing protest against the three agriculture laws.

A Bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said the protestors have a right to protest at a designated space but cannot block the outflow and inflow of traffic.

"The solution lies in the hands of Union of India and state governments," said a Bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.

"You have to find a solution, they might have the right to a place to agitate, but the roads cannot be blocked like this," the Bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who was appearing for the Centre.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by a woman resident of Noida seeking direction to ensure that the road between Noida to Delhi is kept clear so that the passage is not affected.

The apex court adjourned the hearing of the plea for September 20 saying time granted to the Centre to look for solutions on this and report back here.

Justice Kaul told Mehta, "You now have enough time. Please work out something.

"The Uttar Pradesh government in its affidavit had said it is making all efforts to make farmers understand that their act of blocking roads is causing grave inconvenience to travellers.

Earlier, the apex court had asked Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments to file their responses on a plea.On the last date of hearing, the Bench had said public roads should not be blocked in protests and there should be free flow of traffic on roads.

The court had made it clear that it is not concerned about the larger issues of the farm laws, which can be decided judicially, politically or administratively but limited to clearing of roads blocked by farmers.

The Bench had also emphasised that in its previous judgments, the apex court had made it clear that roads should not be blocked.

Noida resident Monicca Agarwaal alleged that her travel to Delhi is taking two hours instead of the normal 20 minutes.

She contended that despite the various directions passed by the apex court to keep the to and fro passage clear (the road), the same had still not happened.Being a single parent who has some medical issues, Agarwaal said that it has become a nightmare to travel to Delhi. The plea said she stayed and worked in Noida, but since she had a marketing job she had to travel frequently to Delhi.

"It is her say that she is a single parent and also has some medical issues and it has become a nightmare to travel to Delhi where it is taking two hours instead of normal 20 minutes. She contends that despite the various directions passed by this court to keep the to and fro passage clear (the roads), the same still does not happen. We did put to her if it is so, it is an administrative failure as the judicial view has already been propounded by us," the Bench had noted in its order.