Roads blocked, plazas made toll-free in Malwa

Tribune Reporters

Patiala, February 16

Rural areas of the Malwa region experienced a varied response to the ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Friday. While bus services were suspended, causing inconvenience to the passengers, those travelling by car also found themselves stranded due to blocked link roads connecting villages.

In the afternoon, main roads and highways were also blocked for some time as farmers and trade unions staged protests. They took control of the toll plazas at Azizpur and Dhareri Jattan in Patiala and surrounding districts for around an hour and allowed vehicles to pass by without paying any fee.

The bandh had a subdued impact in the cities where shops and government offices remained functional like any other day. No impact was visible on the supply of essential commodities. The OPD services at Rajindra Hospital and Mata Kaushalya Hospital, however, remained suspended.

Later in the day, farmers and trade union leaders visited various markets, urging shopkeepers to close down their establishments and participate in the protest.

The condition of those heading to Chandigarh or Fatehgarh was no different as they also faced problems at various locations. Ritu, a resident of Barnala, said as buses were not operating, a private taxi operator demanded Rs 2,000 for ferrying her to Barnala.

All-India Kisan Federation (AIKF) president and SKM spokesperson Prem Singh Bhangu said the bandh was largely successful. “The call for the bandh received unprecedented response from the organisations and general public across the region,” he claimed.

Sangrur: A complete bandh was observed by shopkeepers in Sangrur till 2 pm today. Activists of various organisations blocked the road at Mahavir Chowk near the Sangrur Civil Hospital. The protesting leaders flayed policies of the Modi-led Central Government. Traders also kept their shops closed in Lehra, Dhuri, Sunam and Bhawanigarh. Buses, including roadways, and private remained off the road in the district.

Muktsar: The markets remained shut in Muktsar city, Gidderbaha, Malout and Mandi Killianwali today in support of the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call given by farm unions. The bus service too remained suspended and commuters had to face a harrowing time. Some farm unions held demonstrations in several parts of the district. The Congress workers protested outside the residence of the BJP’s Muktsar district chief in Malout.

Bathinda: The call for ‘Bharat Bandh’ in Bathinda district evoked a good response. In the wake of the bandh, most private schools remained closed. The government and private buses remained off road and shopkeepers kept their stores shut in the city and rural areas.

The protesting farmers made three plazas toll-free in the district. Farmers blocked the Bathinda-Malout road for several hours and protested at Bhai Kanhaiya Chowk, Rose Garden flyover and the Bathinda-Amritsar national highway.