Train services resume in Punjab after farmers end blockade of rail tracks after 169 days

Savinder Singh, a leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee, said they decided to withdraw the rail blockade after a meeting of all protesting farmer unions.

Picture credit: ANI

Amritsar: The farmers protesting against the farm laws on the Amritsar-Delhi railway tracks have withdrawn their agitation in sight of the upcoming hectic wheat harvesting season. Train services resumed after the farm union yesterday suspended 169-day long 'dharna' on tracks.

The farmers were staging a sit-in agitation at Jandiala Guru village on the Amritsar-Delhi rail link. They announced the withdrawal of their agitation on March 11.

Savinder Singh, a leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee which had been spearheading the stir, said they decided to withdraw the rail blockade at Devidaspura on the Amritsar-Delhi route after a meeting of all protesting farmer unions.

"Farmers were blocking only passenger trains but the Centre decided to stop goods trains as well which caused huge losses to farmers, traders and industrialists. In the light of current circumstances, farmers have unanimously resolved to end the stir here," he said, news agency PTI reported.

Officials said that with the farmers ending their stir here, normal movement of trains will resume within a couple of days. 

"Dharna at Jandiala Guru Railway Station suspended for the time being, passenger trains operational now",  says Gurpreet Khera, Dy Commissioner.

The farmers called off the protest after 169 days, as suspension of trains caused losses to them and traders.

Angry over the three farm laws, hundreds of farmers have been sitting on the borders of the national capital for more than 100 days now, demanding that the proposed laws should be repealed.

(With inputs from news agencies)