Clear tracks: Railway Board to Punjab

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 6

Train services in Punjab are unlikely to be resumed soon. The Railway Board has made it clear that goods trains will be resumed only if passenger trains too are allowed a safe passage through Punjab.

Won’t end protest

Will not end protest but will move from tracks to the area adjacent to railway lines. -  JS Ugrahan, BKU leader

With representatives of the state government today clinching a deal with the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, it was believed that the blockade would be lifted and train services resumed forthwith. However, during talks with Punjab Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan, Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav made it amply clear that the tracks must be cleared for both passenger and goods trains.

“Trains cannot be run selectively. The Railways is looking to resume freight and passenger operations,” he said at a press conference, pointing out that there were 22 spots in Punjab where the tracks had been blocked or where dharnas were within the circulating area of railway stations. The Chief Secretary said they were trying to resolve the issue at the earliest.

A meeting was also held between DGP (Law and Order) Ishwar Singh and senior officers of the Government Railway Police, Ambala and Ferozepur Divisions.