Agnipath scheme: Rail traffic goes haywire amid protests in Punjab

Ludhiana, June 19

The rail traffic in the region has become the first casualty of the countrywide agitation against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme with as many as 19 trains being cancelled during the past 48 hours.

Many long-route trains — terminating at or passing through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, were cancelled by the Northern Railway authorities. Moreover, many more trains originating from West Bengal, UP and Bihar were also either cancelled or short-terminated.

6 held in Ludhiana

We have arrested six persons in Ludhiana. Teams are conducting raids to nab the remaining accused. Won’t spare those who damaged the Railways’ property. Probe is on to identify the conspirators behind the violence. —MF Farooqui, ADGP (Railways)

With the cancellation of several long-route trains, there was mad rush of passengers at the local railway station. Passengers especially those with confirmed tickets for UP and Bihar-bound trains for Saturday and Sunday were harried.

Railway officials manning enquiry and ticket-refund counters also found it tough to cope with the heavy rush. To make the matters worse, even senior railway officials had no clue about the restoration of trains cancelled or suspended due to the agitation. At the same time, alternate trains were also not available for these passengers to travel in general (unreserved) class.

According to the railway officials, 11 trains — 12204 Amritsar-Saharsa Garib Rath, 15708 Amritsar-Katihar Amrapali Express, 14674 Amritsar-Jaynagar Shaheed Express, 13308 Firozepur-Dhanbad Ganga Sutlej Express, 13152 Jammu Tawi-Sealdah Kolkata Express, 12380 Amritsar-Sealdah Jallianwala Bagh Express, 12332 Jammu Tawi-Howrah Himgiri Express, 04652 Amritsar-Jaynagar Humsafar Express, 22252 Jalandhar City-Darbhanga Antyodaya Express, 12356 Jammu Tawi-Patna Archana Express and 13006 Amritsar-Howrah Mail (journey commencing on June 19) — were cancelled.

Meanwhile, eight trains — 12331 Howrah-Jammu Tawi Himgiri Express, 15212 Amritsar-Darbhanga Jannayak Express, 13152 Jammu Tawi-Sealdah Kolkata Express, 14650 Amritsar-Jaynagar Saryu Yamuna Express, 12204 Amritsar-Saharsa Garib Rath, 15708 Amritsar-Katihar Amrapali Express, 13308 Firozepur-Dhanbad Ganga Sutlej Express and 12588 Jammu Tawi-Gorakhpur Amarnath Express (journey commencing on June 18) — also remained cancelled.