Sugarcane price hike: 50 trains cancelled on second day of farmers` protest in Punjab`s Jalandhar

The railway officials of Ferozepur division said as many as 50 trains have been cancelled, while 54 have either been diverted or short-terminated.

New Delhi: Farmers who have been demanding a hike in sugarcane prices blocked rail tracks as well as a national highway in Jalandhar on Saturday (August 21), leading to delay in several Northern Railway trains. 

The railway officials of Ferozepur division said nearly 50 trains have been cancelled, while 54 have either been diverted or short-terminated, PTI reported. 

Protesting farmers have blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara stretch of the national highway near Dhanowali village of Jalandhar district. Farmers sitting at the Jalandhar-Chaheru section have obstructed the Ludhiana-Amritsar and the Ludhiana-Jammu rail tracks in Jalandhar, affecting several trains, including the Amritsar-New Delhi (02030) and the Amritsar-New Delhi Shane-e-Punjab (04068).

Punjab farmers launched a protest on Friday to pressure the state government to clear the pending dues of sugarcane and demand a hike in cane prices. The farmers who have started an indefinite agitation said they will not lift the blockade till their demands were met. “Emergency vehicles have, however, been allowed to ply,” the farmers added. 

The blockade affected traffic movement to and from Jalandhar, Amritsar and Pathankot. In order to avoid jams, the administration diverted traffic through some alternative routes.

The farmers have sought the Punjab government to increase the state assured price (SAP) of sugarcane and clear payment of arrears to the tune of Rs 200-250 crore.

Meanwhile, on Friday, four trains were terminated in Uttar Pradesh due to the ongoing farmers’ protest, ANI reported. Two trains each in Moradabad and Bareilly railway stations were cancelled amid the farmers’ agitation. 

It is to be noted, farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The Centre and farmers’ union reached an impasse after the government declined to repeal the three controversial laws. 

(With inputs from agencies)