‘Ahir protest may disrupt traffic as section of NH-48 to be closed for 9 hours’
Members of the Ahir community have proposed a march from Kherki Daula toll plaza to Iffco Chowk on National Highway 48 on Sunday, said the Gurugram traffic police
The traffic movement along the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway on Sunday is likely to be disrupted for up to nine hours due to a proposed march by the Ahir community from Kherki Daula toll plaza to Iffco Chowk on National Highway 48 (NH-48), said an advisory issued by the Gurugram traffic police on Saturday.
The members of the Ahir community are planning to hold the march to press their demand for a separate regiment in the Indian Army. The entire 14.8-kilometre section of NH-48 will be closed for traffic from 7am to 4pm on Sunday, reads the advisory.
Traffic movement from Jaipur to Delhi will be diverted from IMT Manesar Chowk via Pataudi-Gurgaon Road, and Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) just before Kherki Daula toll plaza, and commuters could reach their destinations via Sohna Road, said the traffic police. Commuters from Delhi to Jaipur have been advised to take alternative routes via Golf Course Road Extension, Vatika Chowk, and SPR connecting NH-48 to reach their destinations.
Ravinder Kumar Tomar, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), said police teams have been deployed at all intersections, who will monitor the traffic movement thoroughly so that commuters do not face any inconvenience. “Traffic police teams have been directed to manage the traffic, and keep a strict vigil. If anyone is found taking law and order in their hands, strict action will be taken against them,” said Tomar, adding that traffic coming from Mehrauli-Gurgaon (MG) Road will have to take a slight 100m left before Iffco Chowk slip road, towards Huda City Centre. Traffic coming from Gurugram bus stand will take an alternative route via MDI Chowk-Signature flyover underpass-Huda City Centre road, said the officials.
The entire stretch on NH-8 will be closed for the movement of heavy vehicles and goods vehicles through the day, and such vehicles heading from Jaipur have been advised to take the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway from Panchgaon for travelling to Delhi and Faridabad; and those heading from Delhi to Jaipur have been advised to take the KMP and Sohna Road.
The Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha — a group comprising members of the Ahir community from south Haryana — has been spearheading the demand for a separate Ahir regiment in the Indian Army. The members of the group, which was registered as a trust in March 2021, led several protests in 2018 and sat on a hunger strike for nine days, before ending the agitation after assurances from politicians. On March 23 this year, hundreds of people from across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh — led by the Sanyunkt Ahir Regiment Morcha — held a march from Kherki Daula toll plaza to Hero Honda Chowk to press their demand. The protesters contend that the Indian Army has several caste-based regiments, and since Ahirs have a large representation in the Army, they want a separate regiment for themselves along similar lines.
Vinod Numberdar, a member of Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha, said that around 10:30 am they will start the march from Kherki Daula to Iffco Chowk. “Members of our community have sacrificed a lot in all possible wars, and have won several gallantry awards. However, there is still no regiment formed in their names, and have not been recognised like the members of other communities,” Numberdar said.
