Farmers’ protest: Shatabdi from Chandigarh delayed by 2 hours; 20 trains affected

Following a call given by farmer groups for a strike, the Shatabdi train (12046) got two hours late in starting from the Chandigarh railway station.

The protesting farmers had blocked the railway track near Lalru.

The Shatabdi was supposed to start at 12.05 pm from Chandigarh but due to blockade near Lalru, the train was given the go-ahead at 2.05 pm.

As many as 20 trains have been affected due to the protest, said a senior railway official.

The passengers who were supposed to reach New Delhi at 3.30 pm were visibly upset after the delay.

"Rather than stopping the train midway and causing more inconvenience to passengers, we decided to delay the train’s start at the origin itself,” said a senior railway official.

According to the official, the train will cross Lalru around 3 pm, the time by when the protesting farmers would have stopped the agitation.