Rail traffic disrupted as farmers squat on tracks

Passengers bear the brunt as 21 trains in Ferozepur and Ambala divisions cancelled

- HT Correspondents

FEROZEPUR/KARNAL/PATIALA/BATHINDA/SANGRUR/LUDHIANA: As many as 21 trains were cancelled and several either short-terminated or short-originated in Ambala and Ferozepur rail divisions as farmers squatted on rail tracks at more than 50 places across Punjab on Wednesday. Farmers blocked the tracks for three hours to press the Centre to accept their various demands, including a legally binding minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

The call for the 'rail roko' was given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM).

KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said farmers blocked rail tracks at many places from 12 noon to 3 pm.

Pandher said that the rail roko protest was successful. "The rail roko received a massive response from the farmers, labourers, youngsters, women and small traders. This shows that ongoing farmer agitation is turning into a people's movement. The blockade remained peaceful," said Pandher.

Protesting farmers blocked train routes at many places, including Moga, Faridkot, Kadian and Batala in Gurdaspur; Phillaur in Jalandhar; Tanda, Dasuya, Mahilpur in Hoshiarpur; Makhu, Talwandi Bhai in Ferozepur; Sahnewal in Ludhiana; Shambhu in Patiala; Mohali; Sunam and Lehra in Sangrur; Rampura Phul in Bathinda and Devidaspura in Amritsar.

According to railway authorities of the Ferozepur division, 12 trains were cancelled, two each were short-terminated and short-originated and 34 trains were delayed. Nine trains were cancelled under the Ambala division, five were rescheduled and one short-terminated.