AMBALA: The residents of several villages blocked Ambala-Saharanpur railway track for nearly three hours at Tandwal village railway station in Ambala district on Sunday, demanding stoppage of trains at their station.
The villagers said that before Covid-19 pandemic, about 10 trains used to stop at Tandwal village railway station but these were suspended in view of the restrictions but did not resume when the situation normalised. The railway officials sought time from protestors up to March 31, to resume the stoppage of trains at Tandwal.
On Sunday morning, the residents from villages including Tandwal, Tandwali, Ranomajra, Haryoli, and Dadupur gathered while holding a banner containing message 'Hamari train shuru karo' (resume our train service) and marched towards Tandwal railway station while raising slogans against the government and railway officials.
The villagers then blocked the Ambala-Saharanpur railway track by sitting on the lines while demanding the stoppage of trains.
Soon, the railway police force (RPF) officials reached the spot and attempted to pacify the protestors but they stayed put on the tracks and demanded that some senior railway official come to talk to them and listen to their grievances.
Goldy of Tandwal village said, "In the present time of inflation, the students, labourers and other daily passengers who used to travel via train are facing inconvenience as their time and money are wasted. While traveling by train to Ambala City, we used to pay Rs 10-20 per ticket. But now, when we have to travel via bus, first we have to reach Barara town, then board a bus to Ambala Cantonment and then take an autorickshaw to Ambala City, which is costing about Rs 75 on one side."
Following, Northern Railway's Ambala division senior divisional commercial manager (SDCM) Vivek Sharma reached Tandwal and listened to the protestors.
The protestors demanded that train no. 04523 (Saharanpur-Nangal Dam) should stop at Tandwal while on its way towards Ambala, stoppage of train no. 04501/02 (Saharanpur - Una - Saharanpur) at Tandwal and resumption of all about 10 trains that used to stop here before Covid-19 pandemic.
SDCM Vivek said, "We have assured the villagers that we will expedite their demands before the railway board and sought time up to March 31 for the same. On demand of a stoppage of train no. 04523, we told them that it will be resolved in a day. About 13 trains used to stop at Tandwal in pre-COVID times and the villagers also demanded their resumption. We have informed the headquarters about the demands of the villagers."
