Farmers' agitation: Rail traffic hit, passengers a harried lot

Jalandhar, March 10

Hundreds of passengers had a harrowing time due to the farmers’ rail roko agitation at the Jalandhar Cantonment railway station here today.

Protesting farmers sat on railway tracks and blocked several trains.

Rail traffic remained affected on the Jalandhar-Amritsar and Jalandhar-Phillaur-Ludhiana route from 12 pm to 4 pm. Train services resumed only after farmers lifted the dharna.

New Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi and Humsafar Special Express from Amritsar to Jay Nagar remained stranded for three hours at the Jalandhar Cantt railway station.

While New Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi remained stranded at the station from 12.30 pm to 4 pm, Humsafar Express remained stranded from 12.05 pm to 4 pm.

Passengers remained a harried lot due to the protest. However, some also expressed solidarity with the farmers.

Balbir Singh, a passenger, said: “People have to face inconvenience due to the protest.” A woman passenger said, “Though we face trouble, we will have to cooperate with farmers.”

The rail blockade was held on a call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha in solidarity with the protesting farmers. Organisations such as BKU Sidhpur, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) and Bharti Kisan Union Doaba took part in the protest today.

Salwinder Singh Jania, leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, said: “The success of the farmers’ “Delhi Chalo march” is necessary to ensure guaranteed MSP, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and employment for labourers. So, we held a protest in solidarity with them.”