Day 37: Dharna on in Garhshankar to get railway crossing gate opened

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Garhshankar , March 15

For 37 days, people of villages Basiala and Rasulpur, have been sitting at the dharna demanding opening of railway crossing gates. But till now, there has been no resolve to their problem, due to which, the anger among the villagers is increasing due to non-redressal of their demand. The Garhshankar SDM has reached twice to the protesting villagers, and leaders of various parties have also reached, but people say that they are getting only assurances but no concrete step has been taken so far. They said that till their demand is met, the villagers will continue with their dharna and protest demonstrations. Now, the villagers have started giving up patience and today the villagers have made it clear that they will wait till March 21, after that they will take their own decision to quicken the stir.

Sarpanch of Basiala Hardev Singh and Sarpanch of Rasulpur Paramjit Kaur said, “We have made it clear to the administrative officers and railway officials that we will wait till March 21, after that whatever the sangat (people of both the villages) will resolve, will be done. Therefore, until the underbridge is not built or some other solution is found out, the gates should be opened temporarily, but before the March 21”.

During this, CPM’s District Secretary Comerde Darshan Singh Mattoo, Subhash Mattoo of Janwadi Istree Sabha, Panch Mohan Singh, Harbans Singh, Manjit Singh, Gurjit Singh, Sukhbir Singh etc. were present.

Due to the closure of the railway gate, the villagers have to take five to six-km long diversion to the main road from a narrow path. Apart from this, trucks, trolleys loaded with sugarcane, etc., do not pass through the said path. So the people of both the villages are facing much problem. It is mentionable that the voters of both the villages had completely boycotted the assembly elections last month in protest over the same issue and no voter from both the villages had cast their vote.