Over 1,000 trains have been affected in the Ferozepur, Ambala and Delhi divisions alone during the last few days due to the situation emerging in the aftermath of the verdict in a rape case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim incurring an estimated loss of over Rs.100 crore to the Railways till now.
The agitation not only affected the passenger traffic but also took a toll on valuable rail property and installations, he said. Not only the passenger traffic has been severely affected leaving over 8,000 commuters stranded at various railway stations, the ongoing controversy has taken its toll on valuable rail property and installations also. Premis had made an attempt to torch a railway station in Malout on Friday. Similar incidents have taken place at other locations. The Railways had to refund over Rs.80 lakh in these divisions on account of cancellation of reservations.
Vivek Kumar, Divisional Railway Manager, Ferozepur Division, said an estimated loss of Rs.27.61 crore had been incurred in the division due to cancellation of trains during the last four days so far. The exact loss due to cancellation of goods trains and parcel services was being ascertained, he added.
Sources said besides cancellation, several trains were diverted or short terminated. The important rail routes to Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, besides Jammu and Kashmir, had been badly affected. The entire rail traffic passing through Haryana, including Delhi-Panipat-Ambala-Jammu Tawi section, besides Delhi-Rohtak-Bathinda, had been shut down for the last four days.
Railway officials in Baroda House said the rail traffic on all other routes, except Delhi-Rohtak-Bathinda section, had resumed. The important rail routes to the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir were badly affected, he said