Amritsar: Several trains rescheduled, diverted due to farmers’ stir

Amritsar, April 17

Rail passengers here had to face inconvenience as several trains were either diverted or rescheduled due to a rail roko protest by farmers at Shambu border on Wednesday.

As per information released by the railways, Amritsar to New Jalpaiguri and Amritsar to Jaynagar trains were rescheduled. Further, the railways diverted routes of trains running between Amritsar-Kathiar, Pathankot-Old Delhi, Amritsar-Mumbai, Amritsar-Tata Nagar, Amritsar-Saharsa, Jammu Tawi-Sealdah, Purea Court-Amritsar, Kolkata-Amritsar, Nanded-Amritsar, Indore-Amritsar and New Delhi-Amritsar.

The railways further regulated the timing of trains between Old Delhi-Amritsar, Haridawar-Amritsar and Amritsar-Jaynagar. The farmer leaders stated that they were forced to block the rail routes as they had ample time appealed to the Haryana Government to release three arrested farmer leaders.

“We had earlier announced to block rail routes on April 9, but after assurance from the Haryana Government to release all three farmer leaders, we had postponed it for April 10. Later, as the Haryana Government had assured to release the three leaders till April 16, we had again postponed the agitation on rail tracks. Today is April 17 and so we have started our protest at the train tracks,” a farmer leader said.

Along with the BJP, the farmers have also decided to question leaders of the other political parties to clear their stand on the farmer issues, said Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary of Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee.

The KMSC said a display board with questions to be asked to leaders of the BJP and other political parties has been put up in every village and town of the district.