Punjab bandh: The ongoing bandh in Punjab has caused significant disruptions in rail services across the state. According to official reports, as many as 221 trains have been affected with 157 of them getting cancelled and 14 being rescheduled. The bandh was announced last week by both groups, which have been protesting at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13. Their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
Vande Bharat Express among cancelled trains
The protesting farmers will block rail tracks from 7 am to 4 pm at several locations, thus disrupting the movement of passenger and goods trains. In view of this, the Northern Railways has cancelled 157 trains, including three Vande Bharat Express -- two between New Delhi and Vaishno Devi and another between New Delhi and Amb Andaura.
Prominent trains cancelled
The other trains that have been cancelled include three Shatabdi Express from New Delhi to Kalka, Amritsar, Chandigarh and several other high-end trains operating in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The railways also announced to partially cancel seven trains, regulate 14 others, reschedule 13, short-originate 15 and short-terminate 22 trains. Ambala police have advised commuters travelling between Delhi and Chandigarh to take alternative routes via Panchkula, Barwala, Mullana, Yamunanagar, Radaur, Ladwa and NH-44 at Pipli.
Why has bandh been called?
Kisan Mazdoor Sanghrash Committee's leader Sarvan Singh Pandher confirmed that the bandh is part of their ongoing protest and is aimed at raising their demands. This bandh will force the Centre to accept the demands of farmers, the farmer leader said as he slammed the union government for failing to accept the demands of farmers, he added. The decision to give a call for a 'Punjab bandh' was taken last week by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
(Inputs from Anamika Gaud)
ALSO READ: Punjab bandh today: Farmers call for shutdown, check what's open and what's closed
