Ex-servicemen squat on rail tracks for 12 hours in Patiala; train movement hit

The ex-servicemen had planned to reach Delhi to protest the alleged anomalies in the OROP scheme. Following the protest, train movement was affected in the region

Around 250 ex-servicemen squatted on railway tracks at the Shambhu railway station here for nearly 12 hours on Saturday after they were stopped from heading towards New Delhi. They are staging a protest over alleged anomalies in the “One Rank One Pension” (OROP) scheme.

As per the Ambala senior divisional commissioner, 20 mail express and 13 passenger trains were cancelled, while 32 mail express trains were diverted due to protest.

The ex-servicemen had planned to reach Delhi to protest the alleged anomalies in the OROP scheme. Following the protest, train movement was affected in the region.

As per the Ambala senior divisional commissioner, 20 mail express and 13 passenger trains were cancelled, while 32 mail express trains were diverted. A Government Railway Police official said the movement of trains going towards Delhi, Jammu and Amritsar was affected due to the protest. “Regular announcements were being made at the stations to inform the public about the potential changes and cancellations,” said Ambala division officials.

The protesting retired Indian Army personnel said there were a lot of anomalies in the OROP scheme.

Sainik Sangharsh Committee former vice-president Lakhwinder Singh said, “One of our demands includes that a committee comprising of three Supreme Court retired judges be formed to check anomalies in the implementation of the OROP scheme and we will abide by its suggestions,” said Lakhwinder.

They called off their protest in the evening after they were called for a meeting with Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit. In the meeting, they submitted a memorandum to Purohit.