Ambala: In a significant development and a sigh of relief for railway passengers, farmers protesting on the Delhi-Amritsar railway route along the Shambhu border for the last 34 days on Monday ended their protest paving way for the train operations along the route, a top official said. A delegation of farmers protesting at Shambhu railway station announced the end of the strike at a press conference in Chandigarh.
Senior DCM Naveen Kumar confirmed that the farmers have called off their protest after holding several meetings in Chandigarh in this regard. Kumar said that the Ambala-Amritsar railway route was closed for the last 34 days owing to the farmers rail blockade. A total of 5655 trains have been affected due to the farmers' strike with 2210 canceled and 2, 227 diverted. Besides, 209 trains were short-originated and 222 short terminated along the Delhi-AMritsar route owing to the farmers' protest. .
Kumar said that the Railways was not aware about the next move of the farmers. "We do not know what the stand of hte farmers is. It will be clear once the farmers or the government issues a statement in this regard," he said.
Over the loss incurred by the Railways due to the farmers' protest, Kumar said, "Obviously, losses are there, but the final assessment in this regard has to be made by the Headquarters or the board. That said, Ambala Division alone has not incurred losses due to the protest. Other divisions too have been affected".
The farmers had been squatting on the railway tracks since April 17 at Shambhu railway station on Ambala-Amritsar railway track to press for their demands.
The talks between the protesting farmers and the administration had hit a deadlock due to the arrest of three farmers.
