The 662-kilometre rally by Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) secretary general Ajay Singh Chautala is likely to cause a lot of traffic disruptions in Chandigarh where it will conclude on Thursday. The last leg of the Jan Aakrosh Padyatra will start from Panchkula around 9 am and is expected to culminate at the Circus Ground in Sector 17 around 12.30 pm.

According to intelligence agencies, nearly 20,000 supporters are likely to descend on the city to take part in the rally. The Chandigarh Police have already deployed nearly 1,000 security personnel. Besides, there will be additional forces from Punjab and Haryana. Special security arrangements have been made in and around the Haryana Assembly.

Several state INLD-BJP leaders and hundreds of people have participated in the Jan Aakrosh Padyatra, which started on January 14 and has already passed through 12 districts and 44 Assembly segments of Haryana.

In Chandigarh, a state-level ‘Samapan Samaroh’ will be held around 12.30 pm on Thursday. A number of senior leaders, including BJP national president Rajnath Singh, NDA acting convenor Sharad Yadav, Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, INLD president Om Prakash Chautala and INLD secretary general Ajay Singh Chautala, are expected to address the rally.

Talking to Newsline, DSP (Traffic) J S Cheema said: “We are trying our best to maintain a smooth flow of traffic. Diversions will be in place, but people are requested not to take the route of the rally till afternoon to avoid any inconvenience.”

Ajay Singh Chautala, meanwhile, addressed various public meetings at Katolla, Khajura, Mattewalla and different sectors of Panchkula as part of his padyatra.