Amritsar, Nov 17 (PTI) Commuters here faced a tough time as they were stuck in traffic snarls on Thursday due to a blockade by farmers demanding higher compensation for their lands acquired for national highway projects, among other things. The protesting farmers, led by the Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur), have blocked the Kathunangal toll plaza -- an important link to Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh.Farmers had parked their tractor-trolleys on the road leading to the toll plaza.Commuters headed towards Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh were affected the most.In the afternoon, there was a long traffic jam near Chawinda Devi village because of the blockade.However, the situation eased in the evening as the protesters opened two lanes of the toll plaza, letting vehicles pass through without paying the toll tax.On Wednesday, the farmers had blocked the Bhandari bridge here. After facing criticism from commuters, they lifted their blockade and shifted their protest to the Kathunangal toll plaza.Initially, the protest was to end on Wednesday evening but later the farmers refused to lift the blockade.The farmers are demanding more compensation for their land acquired for national highway projects, compensation for crop damage due to inclement weather and pest attack, and cancellation of cases registered against farmers during the agitation against the now-repealed farm laws.The farmers also blocked the Dharaei Jattan toll plaza on the Patiala-Chandigarh road in Patiala and protested in Faridkot, Mansa and Talwandi Sabo.Meanwhile, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee said it will hold protests outside the offices of deputy commissioners on November 26.Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said they are demanding that FIRs registered against farmers be withdrawn and the Swaminathan Commission report implemented. PTI JMS CHS VSD DIV DIV