Rail services remain disrupted in Pb as farmers’ protest

Chandigarh: Rail traffic remained paralysed in Punjab for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday with protesting farmers, seeking higher compensation for crop loss, continued their stir, causing inconvenience to the passengers and financial loss to railways.
Railway authorities said movement of 73 trains were today hit, taking the total number of trains being affected to 336 so far in the five-day long farmers’ protest.  Out of 73 trains, 29 including mail/express trains were cancelled because of the agitation, Railway officials said. According to Divisional Railway Manager, Anuj Prakash, the ongoing farmers’ ‘Rail Roko’ agitation in the state has caused whopping financial loss of Rs 100 crore to Railways.
On Saturday, eight farmers’ outfits, which are spearheading the agitation, rejected the appeal of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to call off their protest and extended their agitation till Monday.
“Our protest will go on till October 12 and the next line of action will be decided after meeting the Punjab CM in Chandigarh,” BKU Etka (Dakunda) General Secretary, Jagmohan Singh said on Sunday.
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal on Saturday invited protesting farmers to hold talks with the Chief Minister. (PTI)