Loss to railways due to unrest in Punjab over new farm laws topped Rs 1,200 crore
New Delhi:
The loss suffered by the railways due to the unrest in Punjab over Cenral’s agricultural reform laws has already exceeded around Rs 1,200 crore as railroad protests continued in 32 locations across the State, the national carrier said today.
According to data from the national carrier, more than 2,225 cargo rakes carrying vital goods have so far been unable to be operated due to blockades caused by protesters. About 1,350 trains were forced to be canceled or diverted, he said.
“The losses which would have already exceeded Rs 1,200 crore as the agitators continued to dharna on the platforms / near the railroad tracks. Train movement had to be suspended for operational and safety reasons as agitators suddenly stopped some train movements and sporadic blockages continued in various places, especially around Jandiala, Nabha, Talwandi Sabo and Bathinda, ”said declared an official.
“Due to the continued blockages on sections of track in Punjab, there has been a major negative impact on the movement of goods and on the availability of vital products for the agricultural, industrial and infrastructure sector,” the official said.
Later in a statement, the railroads said outbound cargo was also affected from the Punjab region. Movements of food grains, containers, automobiles, cement, pet coke and fertilizer were also affected, the statement said, adding that the average load loss per day in Punjab was 40 rakes per day. .
“Running trains with protesters seated on or near the tracks is a dangerous situation. Train drivers find it extremely dangerous to ride in such situations,” he said.
Previously, the Minister of Railways, Piyush Goyal, wrote to the Chief Minister of Punjab, Amarinder Singh, to obtain assurances on the safety of the tracks and for the service personnel to resume operations.
On October 21, the office of the Chief Minister of the Punjab had requested a meeting for Amarinder Singh and his delegation with the president to urge him to give his assent to the state’s agricultural bills passed last month by the President. assembly with the aim of canceling the agricultural laws of the Center.
The unrest among farmers in Punjab began around September 24, when they began blocking railroads and stations, demanding the repeal of the three agriculture-related bills. Farmers in Punjab have expressed apprehension that central agricultural reform laws pave the way for dismantling the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big business.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
