Centre loses Rs 500 crore due to Punjab railway blockade

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New Delhi: Indian Railways has lost about Rs 500 crore in revenue due to the rail roko movement in Punjab. Badrish Jindal, president of All Industries and Trade Forum, said that the businessmen of the state have incurred a loss of about Rs 5000 crore in total, as farmers have closed railway lines in protest against the farmer’s law of the central government.

Badrish Jindal said, “Punjab has a shortage of almost everything, from the steel industry to essential commodities.” The power stations are not getting coal for power generation due to lack of rail, which is causing a severe shortage of power across the state.

The high court rebuked the Punjab government.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed displeasure over the failure of the Punjab government to clean railway tracks. On October 29 the High Court stated that the Punjab government was unable to handle law and order. The High Court even said that if the government fails to clear the tracks, it will issue an order and can write that the Punjab government has failed to follow the constitution.

Additional Solicitor General Satyapal Jain, appearing for the Center, informed the court that the Punjab government was trying to blame the Center for not allowing goods trains to run in the state. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh wrote a letter to Union Minister Piyush Goyal demanding the resumption of goods and passenger trains in the state.

Satyapal Jain said that the Punjab government claims that the tracks are empty, but trains are being stopped at many places. Punjab government and the Center was directed by the High Court to find a solution to the problem at the earliest.

According to the report, the agitators are stopping rail services at Jandiala, Jagraon, Phillaur, Muktsar, Kartarpur, Fazilka, Romana Albel Singh, Gangsar Jaito, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Batari, Moga, and Makhu. Around 10 to 20 agitators are blocking the tracks everywhere. They have put up tents at many places to ensure a complete blockade of the tracks.

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