Farm body blocks track again, 2 trains diverted

Our Correspondent

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Ludhiana, November 24

The rail traffic in the region has resumed with a few trains arriving in Amritsar early morning after passing from Ludhiana but one of the agitating organisations of farmers — the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Morcha — again blocked rail tracks at the Jandiala railway station around 3 am which necessitated diversion of 02903 Mumbai Central-Amritsar Golden Temple Mail via an alternative route. Similarly, a goods train was also diverted to make it reach its destination.

Talking to The Tribune, Divisional Railway Manager Rajesh Aggarwal said activists of the morcha blocked the rail track at Jandiala. “If the blockade continues, the rail traffic on Jalandhar and Amritsar sections will be affected and some trains bound for Amritsar might have to be short-terminated till the protest continues,” he said, adding that in rest of the state as well as on Jammu Tawi-Udhampur-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra routes, trains would be made operational as per schedule.

With 30 protesting farmers’ bodies relenting and withdrawing from railway tracks, the Northern Railway authorities announced that as many as 15 trains had commenced their normal run. These include 03307/08 Dhanbad-Ferozepur-Dhanbad Ganga Sutlej Express, 02237 Bilaspur-Jammu Tawi Festiwal Express, 05098 Jammu Tawi-Bhagalpur Amarnath Express, 02903/04 Mumbai Central-Amritsar-Mumbai Central Golden Temple Mail, 02331 Howrah-Jammu Tawi Himgiri Express, 04624 Amritsar-Saharsa Express, 02587 Gorakhpur-Jammu Tawi Express, 04651 Jaynagar-Amritsar Humsafar Express, 02919 Ambedkar Nagar-Katra Malwa Express, 01449 Jabalpur-Katra Durgawati Express, 02462 Katra-New Delhi Shri Shakti Express, 02057/58 New Delhi-Una-New Delhi Janshatabdi Express.

Railway officials said some more Covid special and festival special trains would be restored later in the week because rakes for corresponding trains were stuck somewhere midway or not available right now due to operational reasons.

Meanwhile, it was stated that seven pairs of trains — 05211/12 Darbhanga-Amritsar-Darbhanga Express, 02421/22 Ajmer-Jammu Tawi-Ajmer Express, 09805/06 Kota-Udhampur-Kota Express, 02053/54 Haridwar-Amritsar-Haridwar Janshstabdi Express, 02029/30 New Delhi-Amritsar-New Delhi Swarn Shatabdi Expresss, 09611/12 Ajmer-Amritsar-Ajmer Express and 22439/40 New Delhi-Katra-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express — would remain cancelled till further notice.