‘Rail roko’ protest at Shambhu causes Rs 25 lakh loss to Railways

Patiala, April 22

The persistent ‘rail roko’ protest staged by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha at Shambhu railway station near Rajpura has thrown railway operations into disarray, inflicting significant financial losses on the national carrier.

Protesters’ demands

• The farmers are demanding the release of three fellow protesters — Navdeep Singh, Anish Khatkar and Gurkirat Singh — who were arrested in February and March by the Haryana Police
• The protesting farmer leaders have also demanded that a special girdawari be conducted by the state government to assess the loss of crops suffered by farmers in hailstorms that lashed many parts of the state on Friday
• They further demanded an interim compensation for the losses suffered by farmers due to the weather

According to reports shared by the Ferozepur Division of Northern Railways, the protest, now in its sixth consecutive day, has resulted in a staggering loss of over Rs 25 lakh for the railways in the passenger train segment from April 17 to April 21.

The disruption has been felt keenly, with approximately 41 passenger trains remaining cancelled each day.

The ramifications of the protest extend beyond financial losses, as 4,765 passengers were affected and subsequently received refunds for their disrupted travel plans on Sunday.

Moreover, the protest has forced railway authorities to divert 60 trains from their usual routes, causing further logistical challenges and inconveniences for passengers.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, five trains have been terminated prematurely due to the ongoing demonstration, compounding the operational challenges faced by railway officials.

Expressing concern over the prolonged disruption, Senior DCM Ferozepur Ramandeep Singh highlighted the adverse impact of the protest on railway operations and the inconvenience caused to passengers relying on train services.

The tussle had appeared following the arrest of three farmers in Haryana. The farmers are demanding the release of three fellow protesters — Navdeep Singh, Anish Khatkar and Gurkirat Singh — who were arrested in February and March by the Haryana Police.

The protesting farmer leaders further demanded that a special girdawari be conducted by the state government to assess the loss of crops suffered by farmers in hailstorms that lashed many parts of the state on Friday and interim compensation should be released for the affected farmers.