Farmers bring rail traffic to a halt

Tribune Reporters

Bathinda/Ludhiana/Amritsar/ Ferozepur, April 18

Farmers under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) today blocked railway tracks for four hours in Bathinda district against the Centre for imposing a value cut on grain, which got destroyed due to untimely rain and hailstorm.

Members of various kisan unions blocked the Multania overbridge and platform number four at the Bathinda railway station.

As a result, six trains were affected. At the Multania overbridge, farmers stopped a train heading from Suratgarh to Bathinda, thus forcing the passengers to walk for more than 1 km to reach the nearest station.

Passengers heading from Fazilka to Rewari and Bathinda to Sriganganagar remained stranded at the railway station. While Gorakhdham Express was stopped at the Shergarh station, another train coming from Delhi was halted at the Katar Singh Wala railway station.

Shingara Singh Mann, district chief, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan), said instead of giving compensation, the Centre imposed the value cut. He said the Union Government should withdraw its decision.

In Ludhiana district, members of the BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) blocked railway tracks at the Kila Raipur railway station on Ludhiana-Moga section and activists of the BKU (Lakhowal) staged a dharna at Samrala and Kharar railway stations on Sahnewal-Chandigarh section.

Three trains – News Delhi-Amritsar Shane-Punjab Express, Amritsar-CST (Mumbai) Dadar Express and New Delhi-Lohian Khas Sarbat Da Bhala left for their respective destinations after 4 pm. Officials said 20 passenger trains were cancelled and short-terminated.

BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) district chief Charan Singh Noorpura said the Modi government had betrayed the farmers.

“Rather than coming to the rescue of farmers, the Centre imposed a value cut on damaged and discoloured grain,” said BKU general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal.

In Amritsar, farmers blocked rail routes to protest against the value cut on shrivelled, broken and damaged grain by the Central Government. The protesters asked the Centre to roll back the decision.

Farmer leaders Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala and Jatinder Singh Chinna said instead of assisting the farming community, the Modi government had imposed value cut on shrivelled or broken grain.

In Ferozepur district, 20 trains were cancelled, besides two were short terminated due to the farmers’ protest.

Farmers belonging to various farm unions blocked the railway tracks at the Ferozepur Cantonment railway station from 12 pm to 4 pm.

Most of the railway passengers had to opt for other transport options to reach their destinations. Amit Kumar of Ferozepur said, “After coming to know that the farmers have blocked tracks, I had to go to Ludhiana by bus.”

40 trains cancelled, short-terminated in Ferozepur, Ludhiana

• In Ludhiana district, 20 passenger trains were cancelled and short-terminated
• In Ferozepur district, 20 trains were cancelled, besides two were short-terminated due to the protest
• Farmers stopped Suratgarh-Bathinda train, forcing passengers to walk for 1 km to reach the station