Farmers' 'Rail Roko' hits over 850 trains in 5 days

The farmers’ ‘Rail Roko’ agitation in Punjab has affected the movement of more than 850 trains in the last five days.

Describing the disruption in services as ‘worst ever’ in the history of railways in Punjab, officials said that the movement of 884 trains was affected in Ferozepur and Ambala divisions of Railways.

“This is the worst ever farmers’ agitation which hit the train movement for five days in a row. I have never seen such an agitation which almost paralysed rail services,” said Divisional Railway Manager, (Ferozepur Division), Anuj Prakash.

In Ferozepur division, 336 trains have been affected while in Ambala division, services of 548 have been hit. On Sunday, 73 trains were affected in Ferozepur division, officials said, of which 29, including mail or express trains, were cancelled because of the agitation, while 18 were diverted and 26 were short terminated or short originated.

“We will be getting cases registered against farmers wherever they have blocked tracks,” Prakash said. So far, Railways have got cases registered at Jalandhar, Nakodar and Ferozepur under various sections of Railways Act including disruption in rail traffic.

Prakash, however, refused to comment on the State Government’s alleged failure in preventing the rail blockade but appealed to the farmers to call off their agitation in the interest of people. He said that the ongoing farmers’ ‘Rail Roko’ agitation in the State has caused whopping financial loss of `100 crore to Railways.