Ahead of protesting farmers’ call for a four-hour rail blockade across the country from 12noon to 4pm on Thursday, railways has tightened security and deployed additional forces across Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, according to officials aware of the development.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has deployed 20 additional companies across the four states.
“Railways has appealed for peace. We will have additional security focus on Punjab, Haryana, UP and Bengal. 20 additional companies of RPF have been deployed. We appeal to everyone to maintain peace calling for peaceful protests so as not to inconvenience passengers,” a railway ministry spokesperson said.
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Farmer groups have called for a Rail Roko agitation on Thursday in a bid to amplify their protest against the three contentious farm laws. Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a united front of farmers’ unions, is spearheading the agitation.
Earlier, farmers in Punjab had called for rail blockades across the state in September last year in protest against the farm laws, resulting in complete suspension of trains in the state for nearly two months. In November, amid the tussle between the Centre and the Punjab state government over allowing the passage of trains in the state, the Railways has claimed losses of nearly ₹1,200 crore in freight revenue with more than 2,225 goods trains suspended and 1,350 passenger trains cancelled and diverted.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, farmers in Punjab had called for rail blockades across the state in September last year in protest against the farm laws, resulting in complete suspension of trains in the state for nearly two months. In November, amid the tussle between the Centre and the Punjab state government over allowing the passage of trains in the state, the Railways has claimed losses of nearly ₹1,200 crore in freight revenue with more than 2,225 goods trains suspended and 1,350 passenger trains cancelled and diverted.
{{/usCountry}}The railway ministry had also informed Parliament last week that it suffered losses of ₹1,462.45 crore in FY 2020-21 due to “various agitations/ strikes including Dharnas at platforms and near tracks”.
Farmers have also suspended toll across Punjab and Haryana and Delhi NCR since December last year.