April 26 (Punjab Khabarnama) : While the passengers are facing a lot of trouble due to the dharna organized by the farmers for the last 9 days at Shambhu Railway Station for their demands, the Railways is facing difficulties in reducing the freight traffic by less than half and giving ticket refunds to the passengers. Due to which crores of rupees are being lost. According to sources, so far only tickets worth Rs 35 lakh have been refunded. Due to the strike, around 140 trains are being affected every day.
Around 60 trains are being canceled every day, while the same number of trains are being run by diverted routes. Due to diverted routes, trains are running 3 to 10 hours behind schedule. Due to cancellation of trains, traders are facing a lot of trouble in transporting their goods from one place to another and ordering goods from other states. Traders say that booking of goods and goods are not being ordered because it is not known at what time which train will be cancelled. That is why instead of ordering goods through railways, traders have turned to transport. However, they have to pay more for this. It takes more time to order and send the same goods than the Railways.
Hosiery traders say that the summer season has just started, but due to the goods not arriving on time, it will be difficult to get repeat orders for the goods, which will affect the season. Similarly, businessmen who order different types of goods also believe the same. Departmental sources say that the booking of goods has also reduced by half. The main reason for this is the cancellation of many trains with goods booking. Whereas only DFC trains are being run on the newly laid third line. Due to diverted routes, trains are being run via Morinda, Chandigarh, Ambala and Dhuri Jakhal. Due to which the department is facing a lot of problems in running goods trains. Due to this reason, less freight traffic is also being booked.
Impact on elections, loss of private bus operators
Due to Lok Sabha elections, migrant people are facing a lot of trouble to go back to their villages. Most of the migrants want to reach their respective villages due to the elections to be held in different phases in UP and Bihar. Although the first phase of elections was completed on April 19, the second phase of elections is to be held on April 26, in which elections are to be held on 8 seats in UP, 5 in Bihar, 13 in Rajasthan, 3 in Chhattisgarh and 7 in Madhya Pradesh. But the protest of the farmers sitting on strike at Shambhu railway station for their demands continued. Migrant people are taking help of private buses to reach their villages. Due to which private bus operators are becoming bankrupt and charging exorbitant fares. Many people are forming groups and taking private buses and going towards their villages.
