Farmers’ 2-hr ‘rail roko’ protest troubles passengers
Rail passengers were a harried a lot today due to the two-hour ‘rail roko’ call given by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha in support of their various demands.
Many trains affected
In Ludhiana, farmers squat on rail tracks at the Sahnewal railway station. The Durg-Udhampur and New Delhi-Lohian Khas trains were halted at the Ludhiana railway station. Amarpali-Katiyar Express and Indore-Katra Express were stopped at the Khanna and Doraha railway stations, respectively.
The protesting farmers are demanding a legal guarantee on MSP of crops, loan waiver, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations and punishment for those responsible for the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which eight persons, including four farmers, were killed in 2021 during a demonstration against the now-repealed three farm laws.
Trains were halted from 12:30 pm-2:30 pm. A passenger, Mool Chand, who had to travel on a Durg-Udhampur train, was stranded at the city railway station.
“The train reached the city at 12:20 pm but was halted due to the protest by farmers. I am left with no other option but to wait for the protest to end,” he said.
Passengers who had to reach destinations such as Jalandhar, Phillaur and Amritsar were seen leaving the railway station.
Suman, who had to go to Jalandhar, said it was better to go by bus than waiting here. “By the time the protest gets over, I will reach my destination,” she said.
Another passenger rued that he fails to understand the reason behind disrupting the public transport. “I had to reach my relative as there was some emergency but I am stranded here. Hope the train starts in two hours and I am able to reach my destination,” he said.
In Ludhiana, farmers squat on rail tracks at the Sahnewal railway station. The Durg-Udhampur and New Delhi-Lohian Khas trains were halted at the Ludhiana railway station. Amarpali-Katiyar Express and Indore-Katra Express were stopped at the Khanna and Doraha railway stations, respectively.
