89 trains cancelled in as cane farmers’ rail, road blockade enters Day 2 in Punjab

Commuters on national highway at the receiving end; minister Sukhjinder Randhawa to meet farm leaders on Sunday

Farmers demanding hike in sugarcane prices continued the blockade of railway tracks and a national highway in Jalandhar for the second consecutive day on Saturday, affecting the movement of trains and road transport.

Farmers during a protest in Jalandhar on Saturday.

The Ferozepur railway division said 89 trains were cancelled due to the blockade on Saturday. A large number of farmers, mainly from Doaba region, participated in the protest.

Commuters on the national highway were at the receiving end amid the festive season. Many trains remained stuck at the Jalandhar railway station.

Cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa will hold a meeting with the farmer leaders in Chandigarh on Sunday to end the impasse, an official said. The farmers on Friday had started the protest for an indefinite period to press the Punjab government to accept their demands on pending dues of sugarcane and hike in cane prices.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba) president Manjit Singh Rai said, “We have received invitation from the Punjab government and will attend the meeting. If the government fails to come up with a concrete solution we will give call Punjab bandh on Tuesday. We had planned Punjab bandh on Sunday but postponed it due to the Raksha Bandhan festival.”

Jalandhar deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said during the meeting, minister Randhawa will accompanied by additional chief secretary (development) Anirudh Tiwari, the cane commissioner and the director agriculture. He said 12 farmer leaders, including Balbir Singh Rajewal, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, will attend the meeting.

The farmer leaders said they will allow two-wheelers and light motor vehicles to pass through the service lanes due to the Raksha Bandhan on Sunday.