Jat quota stir: 1,000 trains affected, 736 cancelled and 105 diverted

The ongoing Jat protest for reservation has affected train services in a big way with as many as 736 having been cancelled. A total of 1,000 trains have been affected by the Jat agitation in Haryana.

The Northern Railways in a statement said that the Jat agitation has affected around 1,000 trains with 736 trains cancelled and 105 diverted. The agitation has also damaged rail property, causing a loss of Rs 200 crore to the transporter.

The important rail routes to the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, and Jammu and Kashmir have been badly affected due to the Jat agitation, said a senior railway ministry official. The New Delhi-Lahore bus service has also been affected by the agitation.

The Delhi-Rohtak-Bhatinda and Delhi-Rewari-Jaipur, Delhi-Panipat-Ambala routes are the worst affected. The official of the Northern Railways said that the agitating public have also led to largescale damage of railway properties and installation. Ten stations were burnt, two railway engines and two track machines damaged by the agitating public. Tracks were also uprooted at several locations. The loss to Railways due to largescale cancellation and damage is more than Rs 200 crore now, he said. Premier trains like Jammu Rajdhani, Amritsar Shatabdi, Kalka and Chandigarh Shatabdi trains remained cancelled due to the ongoing stir. Uttar Sampark Kranti, Punjab Mail, Jaipur Double-Decker, Jat Mail and Himalayan Queen are among other popular trains that remained affected due to the agitation.

However, railway officials maintain that adequate arrangement has been made for refund of money due to the cancellation of trains. SMS messages to confirmed ticket holders have been given about the cancellations and extra counters have opened for refund of tickets.