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Bharat Bandh: Good response in Ambala as markets remain closed
Vehicles queue up on Ambala-Delhi national highway that connects northern states to the national capital
The Bharat Bandh call evoked a strong response in Ambala as main markets in the urban areas remained closed for hours since late morning on Friday.
Most shops in Cloth Market, Jagadhri Gate, Prem Nagar, multiple sectors in city and Sadar Bazaar in Cantonment area were open till 11am until farm leaders came on their vehicles requesting them to close shops in their support.
Farmers had blocked the NH-44 near Shahapur village and rail track next to the spot. Two other highways in the rural belt in district were also blocked.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) district cice-president Gulab Singh said, “Earlier, there was a call for Bharat Bandh for four hours, then six and now 12. This can extend up to a day or many days if the government remains a mute spectator.”
3 TRAINS CANCELLED, 9 DIVERTED
A Chandigarh-bound train remained stranded at Ambala Cantt station that was cancelled later, along with a pair of unreserved passenger trains scheduled to depart to and fro Ambala Cantt railway station.
Nine other trains were diverted in the division, officials said.
Railway officials said that nearly 31 locations were occupied by farmers in Ambala and Ferozpur division, affecting rail movement mostly in areas under them in Haryana and Punjab.
“As many as 44 passenger and goods trains were stuck in Ambala division due to the agitation and most passenger trains will be terminated as per the call of railway board,” another official, who didn’t wish to be named, said.
COMMUTERS HASSLED ON HIGHWAYS, STATIONS
A large number of vehicles were seen lined up at NH-44 which connects Delhi with the northern states, where many commuters requested farmers to let them through, for their emergencies.
However, the farm leaders refused to do so.
Many commuters were seen walking past the agitation site on the highway with luggage and a few travelling in Volvo buses were provided shelter at a gurdwara, where entry of media was barred.
A woman from Jaipur, who was travelling to Chandi Mandir for her joining at the Army Public School, cried with folded hands in front of farmers to allow her to reach her destination.
“If I don’t reach today, I won’t be able to join as there are three consecutive holidays starting tomorrow. Why stop private vehicles?” she said.
High drama was witnessed as farmers remained adamant to not let anyone cross the agitation site but when other commuters requested the farm leaders, the woman was dropped at the school in a private vehicle by a farmer.
Ram Kumar Pal, 51, who was to board a train to Haridwar with his family with ashes of his mother, was stranded at the railway station.
“My mother died on March 22. We wanted to immerse her ashes in Ganga today. But our train was cancelled,” Pal, a resident of Ambala Cantt, said.
In Yamunanagar, farmers blocked roads at eight locations in district. There was a muted response in the Yamunanagar market region as most shops remained open.
