Joymala Bagchi/New Delhi: With barricades strategically placed one after another and heavy deployment of police personnel across the entire stretch, travelling through the Singhu border is a nightmare for locals, even for those in need.

Security was intensified here, and all border areas of Delhi, after protesting farmers went on a rampage on Republic Day (January 26). They hoisted a religious flag atop the Red Fort, India's symbol of Independence; taking over the roads with tractors and clashing with the police injuring 394 of them.    

There are a total of six barricades, cemented blockades with spikes and concertina wires being placed to restrict lucid mobility of the farmers. People who need to cross the protest site and come towards Delhi or vice versa are being forced to walk through the Singhula Village, a canal known as 'ganda-nala', and then walk for few more kilometres to reach Tikri.

On the other side, even after crossing the sewer canal, they need to walk for a few kms before getting the assistance of auto-rickshaws.

People said that earlier, since the protest started, they faced difficulties, but since the last few days, the toil is more as a road which took 15 minutes to cross is now taking at least one and a half-hour more.

Kamlesh, 29, a serviceman said, "I am coming from Piproli village. I have to go to Delhi urgently for some official work. The bus dropped me at Panipat. I have taken the help of cycles and autos to reach till here. Now I have to walk a few more kms before I can avail buses going to Delhi. Overall our trouble remains unaddressed because we are commoners."

"We are walking regularly for the last two months. Earlier it used to take barely 15 minutes from the border but now it takes at least one or one and a half-hour to reach Tikri," expressed Chandan Kumar, 25, who works in Kundli.

An ailing Punita informed that she had to get few things from her relatives staying at Panipat and she will be coming back with her mother at around 5:30-6:00 pm in the evening.

"The very thought of taking her with me and crossing this canal and walking all the way scares me a lot. It's so much risky because there is no light and the ways leading to the pitched road are extremely narrow," said Punita.

Locals and protesting farmers had clashed on January 29 as well with several locals complaining of inconvenience caused due to the protest. Many were upset that the country's sacred symbols were shown disrespect during the protesting farmers' 'Tractor Rally' on Republic Day. 

Since then, normal movement at the borders has been severely restricted by the police including barring media from entering the protest site.