The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Haryana government to remove barricades at the Shambhu border, more than five months after the “unlawful sealing of the border between Haryana and Punjab” to prevent farmers from “protesting peacefully” came under judicial scrutiny.
A high court division bench issued the order on Wednesday while addressing a batch of petitions. The court instructed Punjab and Haryana to collaborate on removing the barricades. A detailed order is expected to follow.
The court’s directive comes amid growing concerns about traffic disruptions and the impact on daily commuters and transport. In the previous hearing, the bench had instructed both states to submit detailed affidavits regarding the ongoing blockade at the Shambhu border, including specifics on the duration of the closures.
The bench noted: “The highways/national highways at the Shambhu border continue to be blocked, causing inconvenience to commuters. Both the states of Punjab and Haryana shall submit their affidavits on this aspect by the next hearing, detailing when the closures began and how long they are expected to continue.”
One of the petitions was filed by city-based advocate Uday Pratap Singh, seeking an urgent interim order to halt all “obstructive actions” by the governments of Punjab, Haryana, and the Union of India against the farmers’ “peaceful” protests. Singh argued that the road blockade not only inconvenienced locals but also disrupted the movement of pedestrians, ambulances, school buses, and other vehicles.
