The movement of several trains was affected in Punjab on Wednesday due to a 'rail roko' protest called by a farmers' body in support of various demands, including fair compensation for acquisition of land for road projects and clearing pending sugarcane dues.
The protest was called by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) at the Gurdaspur Railway Station. According to railway officials, 10 trains, including the ones from Verka to Pathankot and Pathankot to Amritsar, were cancelled because of the stir.
Besides, six trains from Pathankot to Verka, Amritsar to Pathankot and Pathankot to Old Delhi were short terminated at Dinanagar, Amritsar and Dhariwal, they said. At least four trains were diverted via Pathankot-Mukerian-Jalandhar Cantt, Jalandhar City, Mukerian-Pathankot and Pathankot-Mukerian-Jalandhar City.
KMSC general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said they were demanding fair compensation for the land acquired for road projects. Other demands included payment of sugarcane dues, remunerative prices for crops as per Swaminathan Commission report and farm debt.
