About 600 trains were affected in Punjab and Haryana during the Punjab farmers’ three-day ‘rail roko’ protest which ended on Saturday evening.
The agitation that began on Thursday saw farmers demanding compensation for crops damaged in the recent floods, a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) and a sweeping debt waiver in all north Indian states from the government.
According to railway officials of the Ferozepur division, 376 passenger trains were cancelled, 89 were short terminated, 46 short originated, and 70 were diverted.
As a result, hundreds of rail passengers were left stranded in Punjab and Haryana.
Passengers at Ambala Cantt railway station told India Today TV that they now have to spend much more to book other transportation to get to their destination.
One passenger said that while his train journey was costing him Rs 800, he may have to spend Rs 14,000 if he decides to travel by taxi as his train was cancelled. Others expressed concerns about whether they would get a refund on their tickets.
Railway officer Naveen Kumar said that extra counters have been opened at Ambala Cantt station to provide refunds to passengers whose trains were cancelled.
He also said that efforts had been made to make sure trains had stopped at stations with amenities and ample transport services. When asked about the losses incurred due to the protests, Kumar said it could only be estimated after the agitation was over.
FARMERS’ 3-DAY PROTEST
The farmers had blockaded railway tracks at several places in Faridkot, Samrala, Moga, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Tarn Taran, Sangrur, Patiala, Ferozepur, Bathinda and Amritsar since Thursday as part of their three-day agitation.
Several farmer groups, including the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee; Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari); Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Azaad); Azaad Kisan Committee, Doaba; Bharti Kisan Union (Behramke); Bharti Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) and the Bharti Kisan Union (Chottu Ram), had participated in the three-day protest.