55 trains hit in Punjab due to farmers' dharna

Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, December 20

Around 55 trains were adversely affected following the protest by the farmers belonging to Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) at Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur. As many as 27 trains were cancelled, 11 short-terminated and 17 halted due to the agitation.

Trains which were cancelled included Amritsar-Jayanagar Saryu Yamuna Express, Amritsar-Howrah Covid-19 Special, Amritsar-Nanded Superfast, Amritsar-Chandigarh Intercity Express, Amritsar-Howrah Express, Amritsar-Mumbai Golden Temple Express, Amritsar-Darbhanga Jannayak Express, Amritsar-Dehradun Express and many others.

DRM Seema Sharma said proper security arrangements were made in advance and additional RPF guards had been deployed to prevent any untoward incident. “The timetable of few trains was also changed”, she said.

Meanwhile, addressing the congregation at Basti Tankan Wali railway crossing, Satnam Singh Pannu, president, KMSC, said the state government had failed to fulfil its poll promises. The Congress had promised debt waiver to all farmers, employment to the youth, end to illegal sand mining and drug cartel.

“Even the promises made by the state government to the family members of the farmers who attained martyrdom have not been fulfilled. We will not lift the dharna until these promises are fulfilled”, said leaders of a farmer union.