Karnal Locks Down Key Roads Ahead of Amit Shah's Nov 5 Padyatra

Karnal in Haryana has been placed under a tight security blanket ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit on November 5, with six key roads closed, CBSE-affiliated schools shut on Thursday and local businesses worried about lost footfall at the start of the Diwali shopping rush.

Shah is due to lead a padyatra titled 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' (Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy). The march is meant to counter the Opposition's 'vote chori' campaign over the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which makes the city a stage for a wider national political argument.

Policing is substantial: seven SPs, 16 DSPs and 10 companies of police personnel will oversee arrangements. Senior officers carried out a recce on Wednesday. The administration's traffic advisory covers NDRI Chowk, Ambedkar Chowk, Mahatma Gandhi Chowk, Mall Road, ITI Chowk and Nirmal Kutia Chowk.

Commuters say the disruption began a day early. Parent Amit Kumar said main roads were closed during the crucial afternoon hours of November 4, leaving school buses stuck and forcing longer routes. Commuter Satnam Singh argued that VIP security matters but a programme of this kind should have been held in an open area. Sahodaya School Complex chief Dr Rajan Lamba said CBSE-affiliated schools would stay closed on Thursday to spare students, parents and staff the inconvenience.

For the market, the timing is the sore point. Trader Jatin said this is a crucial business period, that customers struggled to reach shops, and that the event would have been better after Diwali. With festive demand typically driving a large share of annual sales for small retailers, even a day or two of restricted access can sting.

The administration has mapped diversions. NDRI campus residents can use gates 5, 6 and 7, while those from Nyaypuri, Shakti Colony and Subhash Colony are routed to Sector 13/14 and NH-44 via the old bus stand, Committee Chowk and old Sabzi Mandi. Residents of Sectors 6 and 7, Meerut Road, Tau Devi Lal Chowk, Sector 5, Namaste Chowk and Gharaunda should use the Sector 13/14 cut, old Sabzi Mandi, old bus stand, Dyal Singh College and Virk Hospital.

Emergency access to Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College has been planned separately. Traffic from Assandh, Nising and Kaithal should come via Committee Chowk, the old bus stand, Dyal Singh College and Virk Hospital to the main gate, while those from Indri, Kunjpura and Kurukshetra can use ITI Chowk and NDRI Chowk to reach the rear gate.

Source: The Tribune

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