Relief for commuters as farmers suspend rail roko stir at Shambhu

Mohit Khanna

Patiala, May 20

In a major reprieve for passengers, farm unions have suspended the “rail roko” protest at the Shambhu railway station.

‘Shown in a bad light’

Farmers were being shown in a bad light due to the ongoing ‘rail roko’ protest. As essential services also got affected, we decided to suspend the protest. Tejveer Singh Toor, farm leader

Back on track

The farmers’ agitation at the Shambhu railway station in Ambala Division has been called off. Consequently, all trains are being restored to their routes with immediate effect. Deepak Kumar, CPRO, Northern Rly

Farm leader Tejveer Singh Toor said, “The agitation, which began on April 17 against the arrest of three young farmers by the Haryana Police, has been suspended. Farmers have been asked to lift the dharna and vacate the protest site.”

Officials of the Northern Railways, Ambala Division, said they had yet not received the official confirmation about the lifting of the dharna.

Navin Kumar, Senior DCM, Ambala Division, said, “We are in regular touch with the police and other authorities. We have been told that the tracks have been cleared.”

Deepak Kumar, Chief Public Relations Officer, Northern Railways, said, “The farm agitation at the Sambhu railway station in the Ambala Division was called off today. Consequently, all trains are being restored to their routes with immediate effect.”

A group of farmers, including a few elderly women, had blocked the rail tracks, which led to the cancellation and rerouting of trains through Chandigarh and Dhuri.

Deepinder Singh Ghuman of Ludhiana, who works in Delhi, said he could not visit his ailing parents as most of the trains were cancelled or rerouted.

Rajesh Kumar, who works in a pharmaceutical firm, said he had to shell out extra bucks to reach Ambala on a daily basis.

“As the ‘rail roko’ protest has ended, life will get back to normal. I have suffered a huge financial loss due to the agitation,” said Pardeep Dhingra, who runs an eatery at the Rajpura railway station.

Toor said farmers were being shown in a bad light due to the ongoing “rail roko” protest. As essential services also got affected, we decided to suspend the protest, added Toor.