Heavy equipment is brought in by protestors who breach barricades and bulldoze into the city

BATHINDA/AMBALA: More than 20,000 protesting farmers, who have been camped at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana for the past eight days, are expected to resume their march towards New Delhi starting at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. They are armed with thousands of tractor-trailers and heavy machinery, including bulldozers rigged with steel plates, hydraulic cranes, and diggers.

With many layers of barriers made of concrete blocks, spikes, and barbed wire to keep them from passing through, the farmers are propelled into yet another round of conflict with the Haryana police and government security forces.

The two farm unions spearheading the “Delhi Chalo” protest, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), chose to proceed with the march on February 18 in spite of the central government’s offer to purchase five crops at the minimum support price (MSP) for a period of five years during the fourth round of talks.Sarvan Singh Pandher, the head of the KMM, demanded on Tuesday that the Centre schedule a full day of Parliament to pass a bill on maximum subsidy for crops. “All political parties should support the law or make their stand clear,” he said.
“He should now show his strong willpower and announce acceptance of our demands, including legal guarantee of minimum support price on all 23 crops as per the C2+50% formula and a complete debt waiver,” he added, pleading with PM Narendra Modi to intervene and end the impasse.

The march was called off on February 13 by Haryana and federal officials.
The demonstrators were prevented from breaking over the barricade by water cannons, rubber bullets, and tear gas shells.
With the knowledge gained from that experience, farmers at Shambhu have installed Poclain machines protected against tear gas shells by iron sheets. On the Haryana side of the Ghaggar River, the boundary at Shambhu on the NH-44 was blocked. Sandbags are being used to block the seasonal rivulet’s movement as part of efforts to make pathways through Ghaggar. At Khanauri, comparable preparations have been created.

Haryana police have deployed 114 companies, 64 of which are paramilitary troops, to handle law and order and traffic flow on major roads in anticipation of the upcoming march.
Authorities have also informed the community about detours and other routes while using drones and CCTV cameras to monitor activity.