Rail Roko call: Rail traffic paralysed in Haryana

YAMUNANAGAR/KURUKSHETRA/AMBALA: Thousands of passengers on board at least 32 trains, apart from those waiting on platforms, had a horrifying time on Thursday as schedules went awry due to a 'rail roko' by Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU).
The farmers were protesting to press their demand of raising the minimum support price.
Though there was no impact on New-Delhi Chandigarh Shatabadi Express and Chandigarh New-Delhi-Rohtak Shatabadi Express (Ekta Express), 32 long-distance superfast trains were among those worst affected due to the farmers' stir.These included Sachkhand Express, Dadar Express, Paschim Express, Sadbhawna Express (Lukhnow-Chandigarh route) and Ucchaha Express (Kanpur-Chandigarh) Express.
In an attempt to prevent blockade at Kurukshetra, when the cops tried to stop the farmers, 500 protesters courted arrest. Elsewhere, the activists blocked Ambala-Saharanpur route at Mustafabad and Ambala-New Delhi/Rohtak tracks between Karnal and Panipat. BKU state president Gurnam Singh led the stir at Kurukshetra.
The agitation reportedly began around 11am and went on till 5pm. Sources said not even a single train was allowed to pass during the protest.
Divisional railway manager at Ambala P K Sanghi said, "Rail services suffered massively due to the agitation. Thirty-two trains (passengers and super) could not run on routes under Ambala zone. Around six passenger trains were stopped midway."
The farmers of Ambala and Yamunangar joined the agitation at Mustafabad railway station of Yamunanagar district.
BKU general secretary Vijay Mehata, who was leading the agitation at Yamunangar and Ambala, said, "This was just a symbolic demonstration. If the government does not accept our demands, we will carry out a large-scale protest."
MSP hike sought
Farmers held a Rail Roko Andolan demanding implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations made in 2006. According to the commission report, farmers should be given an adequate raise in MSP while keeping in view the hike in input costs