Migrant farm labourers suffer as trains get delayed

Bathinda, April 19

Railway passengers are at the receiving end these days as a majority of the trains are running behind their scheduled timetable.

15909-10 Avadh Assam Express that connects Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with Bathinda has been running several hours behind its scheduled time for the past three days.

Besides, hundreds of migrant farm labourers travel by the train, who come to the city for work during the harvesting season every year.

Farm labour Mohan said, “I came here from Talwandi Sabo to receive my brother, who is coming from Moradabad. Now, I came to know that the train is running six hours late from its scheduled time. Besides, the train has been running late for the past three days. Due to the delay, we are losing our source of livelihood.”

Mangla Devi, another farm labourer, said, “Trains running behind schedule is not the only issue. The Railway authorities have also reduced the number of general coaches due to which they face inconvenience while traveling, resulting in overcrowded coaches.”

Shingara Singh Mann, district president of the BKU (Ugrahan), said, “Since the advanced agricultural techniques have came up in the region, the burden of harvesting has reduced a bit, but to procure wheat and for many other purposes, we need farm labourers to ease the work.”

He said the Railway authorities had to resolve the problem at the earliest for the facilitation of farmers and passengers. — TNS

Train running late 

15909-10 Avadh Assam Express that connects Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with Bathinda has been running several hours behind  its scheduled time for the past three days.