It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the national transport viz Railways should not get affected by the petty political or social issues confronting common man because this can led to losses of crores of rupees to the country besides giving nightmarish experiences to the passengers, who had planned their journeys months ahead to avoid any inconvenience or such nuisance whereby trains got disrupted through Rail Roko protests.
In the same context, farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have reportedly squatted on a rail track in Patiala district near the Punjab and Haryana border, demanding the release of three farmers who had been arrested by the Haryana Police. This protest has disturbed the schedule of many trains leaving the passengers high and dry as scores of trains were affected leading to their diversion, cancellation or short-termination because of the aforesaid blockade at the Shambhu Railway Station.
It is totally unjustified that a disagreement between farmer organizations and cops in Haryana led to such a precarious situation where the main route connecting various cities in North India with the National Capital New Delhi has been impacted giving tough time to the people scheduled to travel on this train track. The concerned states and the Centre hold the responsibility to stop such protests from disrupting the train traffic. There is a logjam between the Centre and the farmers as the tiller community has been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 when their march was stopped by the security forces.
All said and done, the government should ensure that whatever the matter is, the railway tracks should always remain free from any of such disruptions because every second lost in such Rail Roko Abhiyans causes colossal loss to the nation, which is unacceptable and undesired as well. There is no doubt in the fact that stopping trains arbitrarily is a potent method symbolically and effectively in bringing issues to the forefront of national discourse. However, it also poses significant challenges, particularly to the economic fabric of a nation. When protesters stop trains, they effectively disrupt one of the country's most vital arteries of commerce and mobility.
Railways in India are not only a primary mode of transportation for millions but also a critical conduit for the movement of goods and services across vast distances. By halting trains, these protests can lead to considerable economic repercussions therefore the governments both at centre and in states should tackle things critically to ensure that situations do not go out of hand leading to losses and trouble for the nation.
