Protesting Punjab farmers trying to dictate: Railway Board Chairman
The Railway Board Chairman and CEO RK Yadav on Saturday, during a press conference, said that the Punjab farmers, protesting against the Centre's farm laws 2020, were yet to vacate railway tracks, platforms near railway stations in Punjab.
Railway Board Chairman RK Yadav said that there were 22 such sites where the Punjab Government had to give security clearance before the movement of train services in Punjab could resume.
He also said that tracks that were vacated on Friday were undergoing maintenance and inspection.
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Amid the Rail roko agitation, coal rakes and supplies of fertilisers and essential supplies for the soldiers deployed in Jammu Kashmir have been held back.
On Friday, the Punjab Government assured that railway tracks in Punjab were cleared by Punjab farmers for movement of goods train services in Punjab, said Yadav, adding that it was operationally unfeasible for the Railways to function in such a manner.
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What type of trains can run on a railway track is the decision of the Railways itself, he said.
The services had to resume for all kinds of operations, Yadav said, even as he stated that the Railways was trying to work out on a solution with the Punjab Government.
The agitators protesting against farm laws 2020 have been hinting that they would stall passenger trains and allow only goods trains in the state.
The protestors have been trying to dictate what goods can be lifted and what stations can be serviced while the Railways cannot operate like this, he said.
-PTC News
