Punjab govt assured us all blockades will be removed by October 6: Rail Board chairman

Amid farmers protests in Punjab against farm laws, Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav on Thursday said that the Punjab government has assured the railways that all blockades on rail premises by protesters will be cleared by Friday morning.

Of the 31 blockades, 14 were removed by Thursday evening, he said.

Yadav also said that a joint team of state officials as well as the RPF have been formed to conduct ground surveys in order to ascertain if it was safe to run trains.

"We have been assured by the Punjab government that all blockades will be removed by Friday morning. Fourteen of 31 blockades have been removed on Thursday. Our maintenance teams are ready, as soon as tracks are under rail control, we will run trains," he said.

Train services in Punjab have been suspended since September 24 due to farmers' protests over the three farm bills passed in Parliament. While it had resumed for a few days in October, it was suspended again due to concerns over the safety and security of train crew members.

Earlier in the day a delegation of Punjab BJP leaders met Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and urged to sought his intervention to start the train operation.

"We request immediate redressal by your august office to take an undertaking from the state government for security and protection to start goods and passenger trains with immediate effect. The common man is reeling under great economic stress," the delegation said in its memorandum to the Minister.

The national transporter said that it has already suffered losses of around Rs 1,200 crore and in several places protestors blocked railway tracks and occupied stations.

The three farm laws -- the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 -- were enacted recently.

Farmers' bodies protesting against the laws have expressed apprehension that these would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporate entities. They demanded that the laws be withdrawn.

The Centre has asserted that these new laws will be beneficial for farmers and will increase their income.