Jalandhar: Farmers in Punjab have blocked the Jalandhar-New Delhi national highway and railway tracks in Amritsar-Delhi near Dhanowalui as a part of their ongoing protest demanding a hike in sugarcane assured price from ₹380 to ₹450 per quintal, reported Hindustan Times.
The farmers have also demanded a single window and counter payment system at the sugar mills, compensation for the sugarcane crop damaged due to floods and other factors, and to start crushing at the sugar mills.
resulting in the cancellation of all trains plying between Jalandhar-New Delhi and Amritsar-Jalandhar. Activists affiliated with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) intensified their agitation by obstructing the Amritsar-Delhi railway track near Dhanowal on Thursday, leading to the suspension of multiple train services.
Simultaneously, the Jalandhar-New Delhi national highway experienced continued disruption, with farmers erecting temporary tents on both sides of the highway. This blockade necessitated the diversion of vehicular traffic onto alternate routes, causing significant inconvenience for commuters.
Expressing their discontent, Manjit Singh Rai, an SKM activist, stated that the government had been duly warned about the possibility of railway track blockades if their demands were not met. The protest, marked by the blocking of both the national highway and the railway track, underscores the farmers’ determination to press for their demands.
