140 trains affected due to ex-servicemen's agitation

Ambala, November 25

Over 140 trains were affected due to the agitation by ex-servicemen at Shambhu station under Ambala Division in Punjab today. The ex-servicemen were protesting against alleged anomalies in the one-rank-one pension scheme.

As per the Ambala division, 20 mail express and 13 passenger trains were cancelled; as many as 32 mail express trains were diverted via alternate routes; 20 trains were short terminated; and nine were short originated. Besides these, 15 goods rakes were diverted and 35 goods trains were stabled en route.

Trains including CSMT-Amritsar (11057), New Delhi-Amritsar (12497), Pune-Jammutavi Express (11077), New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat (22439) and Saryu Yamuna Express (14649) were diverted via Chandigarh.

Senior divisional commercial manager of Ambala Division, Naveen Kumar, said, “Due to the agitation at Shambhu station, 144 trains were affected on Saturday. For the convenience of the passengers, regular announcements were made at stations, adequate staff was deployed and necessary arrangements were made to ensure the supply of food and water bottles.”

Ex-servicemen SP Gosal and Kapil Dev said that they were left with no other option but to block the tracks so that their demand could be heard. The dharna was lifted late in the afternoon. According to the district administration, the dharna was lifted after the Punjab Governor invited the ex-servicemen for discussion over the matter.