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P4 » » FORECAST COLD WAVE MAX 17°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 17°C | MIN 7°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5.34 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7.26 AM » TUESDAY | 31 DECEMBER 2024 | JALANDHAR Scores of passengers stranded as Farmers’ stir brings life to a standstill in Phagwara bus, rail services hit by bandh call Vande Bharat Express among 163 trains cancelled, several others delayed Our Correspondent Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 30 A statewide bandh called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha brought daily life in the city to a halt, with rail and road transport services severely disrupted. The protest, demanding a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), a longstanding issue for farmers, caused significant inconvenience to commuters across the region. The bandh left hundreds of passengers stranded at the city’s railway station and bus stand, with no choice but to wait for services to resume. There were 163 trains canceled, including the Vande Bharat Express. Additionally, 19 trains were short-terminated, 15 short-originated, and 15 delayed. Nine trains, including the Jhelum Express from Pune to Jammu Tawi, were halted at stations with basic amenities Elderly passengers wait at the Jalandhar railway station after train services were disrupted due to the farmers’ bandh call. TRIBUNE PHOTO SARABJIT SINGH for passengers. At Jalandhar’s railway station, hundreds of passengers were left stranded Elderly devotees traveling to Patna Sahib for Gurpurab celebrations expressed frustration with the disruption. “While we support the farm- ers’ cause, such interruptions cause inconvenience to the public,” said Kulwant Kaur, a passenger. She added, “We knew about the bandh but weren’t sure when our train would arrive, so we decided to wait at the station. The protests harass the public, and the government remains indifferent.” Bus services also suffered severe disruptions, leaving commuters stranded. Mahesh Kumar from Uttar Pradesh, who was trying to reach Ambala, lamented, “I didn’t check the reports about the bandh before planning my journey. Now, I’m stuck here.” To maintain public order, Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma conducted inspections at critical points in the city, accompanied by senior officers. Approximately 1,200 police personnel were deployed across 24 key locations to ensure safety and prevent disruptions. Sharma also focused on ensuring that essential services remained operational and that service lanes on highways stayed open. A minor altercation between farmers and the police over pedestrian movement was reported at Dhanowali, where farmers were staging a protest. However, the issue was quickly resolved, allowing stranded passengers to proceed. Despite the disruptions, the authorities managed to maintain a semblance of order while protesters continued to voice their demands. Phagwara, December 30 Normal life remained paralysed in most towns like Phagwara, Goraya, Banga, Phillaur, Nawanshahr and Nakodar which witnessed a deserted look due to the ninehour call for “Punjab Bandh” given by farmer organisations, from 7 am to 4 pm today. Bus and rail services remained completely suspended during the day. No train, bus, taxi or car could ply during the bandh hours. The Northern Railway cancelled 106 Mail, express and superfast trains in Punjab. Hundreds of rail passengers remained stranded in waiting hall of the railway station at Phagwara. Railway officials told The Tribune here today that almost all trains could ply to and from Ambala till 4 pm. They said that normal rail traffic could ply only inside Haryana, Himachal or Jammu and Kashmir. Vegetable markets, grain markets besides shops and commercial establishments remained completely shut. Most of the banks remained closed today and people felt Markets across Phagwara remained shut on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO much inconvenienced in this marriage season as many were not able to operate even their bank lockers. Members of the Revenue Patwar Union Punjab, PRTC Employees Union and even Punjab Roadways did not work today to express solidarity with the farmers. President of the Phagwara Bar Association Karanjot Singh Jhikka and former presidents Lalit Chopra, Vijay Sharma and Munish Sareen strongly condemned the state government for not resolving the problems of farmers. Phagwara Superintendent Eateries issued noise, operating hour restrictions Tribune News Service Police personnel stand guard at a desolate market in Jalandhar on Monday. SARABJIT SINGH City observes complete shutdown AakankshaN Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 30 “It is sad that no unity is being seen among the farmer unions in Punjab. There are some leaders who are on the side of the government and then there are others who are supporting the farmers’ movement and our leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal,” said Kulwinder Singh, the district president of BKU Ekta Sidhupur today as farmer unions gathered at Dhanowali village and blocked the NH-1. The call for “Punjab Bandh” was given today by the farmer unions in support of Jagjit Singh Dallewal who has been on hunger strike for the last 35 days. In the city, a complete bandh was witnessed today with shops being shut, mar- Shops remained shut, no means of transport operated kets closed and no means of transport operating. The farmers squatted and protested against the government, expressing their disappointment. Referring to Dallewal, a the farmers leader said, “Oh othe saade layi baithe hai, asi ethe ne ikathe ho sakde (Dallewal is sitting for us and is on fast-unto-death, can’t we gather here in large numbers to express our gratitude).” Various speakers said that it was Dallewal who was in support of all the farmers. Manjit Singh Rai, president of BKU (Doaba), also joined in the protest. “The way the government has taken a U- turn after agreeing to our demands, speaks of their motive. They are anti-farmer and we cannot let any wrong happen to us,” he said. Passengers suffer A train passenger from Jalandhar said that he was going to Roorkee with his wife. “Now, we are stranded here since morning. We don’t know when the train will start,” he said. Ajith, another passenger from Thiruvananthapuram who was going to Pathankot, said it was getting difficult for him as he was with his oneyear-old son. “He needs milk and we are already out of food items that we had got. We never knew that we will get stuck. There is no milk as well,” said the distressed father. PG owners asked to install CCTV cameras in Kapurthala Phagwara, December 30 To enhance public safety, Kapurthala District Magistrate Amit Kumar Panchal has issued directives under Section 163 of the Indian Citizens Security Code-2023, mandating all paying guest (PG) owners to install CCTV cameras on their premises. The cameras must remain operational, with recordings maintained for at least one month. According to the orders, PG owners are also required to register detailed information about their tenants at the nearest police station or post. The registration must include the owner’s name, address, contact number and photocopy of a government-issued identity proof such as an Aadhaar card. DC Panchal said that proper- ty owners must submit comprehensive details about their tenants, including name and contact number of the tenant, and address of the institution where the tenant is studying or working, along with supporting evidence, permanent residential address, a copy of the tenant’s Aadhaar card or another photo ID issued by any government agency. — OC Jalandhar, December 30 In a decisive move to maintain law and order and ensure public safety, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Ankur Gupta has issued a comprehensive order under Section 163 of the Indian Civil Security Code. The directive, which aims to control late-night operations and curb noise pollution, mandates that all restaurants, clubs, and licensed eateries in the city close by midnight. The directive mandates that these establishments must cease taking orders for food and beverages after 11:30pm and refrain from allowing new customers to enter post this time. Furthermore, the premises adjacent to liquor stores must completely shut down by midnight or as per their licensing terms. The order also places stringent restrictions on noise levels, emphasising the need for noise control across various public venues. All establishments are instructed to limit their sound levels to a maximum of 10 (A) decibels. Activities that generate significant noise, including DJs, live orchestras, and singers, must cease or be reduced substantially by 10 pm. After this time, no noise produced within a building or premises should be audible beyond its walls. The regulation further extends to vehicles with music systems, stipulating that their sound must not be audible outside the vehicle at any time of the day. In a separate move, the DCP has issued a ban on the use of horns in silence zones and during the night hours, specifically between 10 pm and 6 am, in residential areas. The only exception to this rule will be in cases of public emergencies. Additionally, the use of sound systems near public spaces will be restricted to a maximum of 10 (A) decibels. In line with Supreme Court guidelines, the use of drums, horns, and loudspeakers is strictly prohibited between 10 pm and 6 am unless under exceptional circumstances. This applies not only to public spaces but also to private sound systems in hotels, palaces, and residences, where noise levels must remain below 5 (A) decibels during these hours. These orders will remain in effect until February 25, 2025. of Police Rupinder Kaur Bhatti herself monitored the situation and heavy police force was deployed at various places. Hundreds of activists of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Doaba) led by its general secretary Satnam Singh Sahni blocked vehicular traffic near Sugar Mill chowk. The local traffic police headed by Inspector Aman Kumar diverted road traffic from Mehtan bypass via alternative routes through link roads. Reports of blockade were also received from Phillaur, Ladhuwal toll plaza, Behram toll plaza, Kathgarh toll plaza etc. Drug peddlers arrested Phagwara, December 30 The police arrested two drug peddlers and recovered five grams of heroin from their possession last night. Superintendent of Police (SP) Rupinder Kaur Bhatti said here on Monday that the arrested accused have been identified as Raj Kumar and Ashmin, both residents of Salarpur village. They were nabbed at a check-point when they were coming on a Honda motorcycle bearing near Miherru village. The police have impounded their bike also. A case under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act has been registered. — OC Hoshiarpur grinds to a halt as farmers protest Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, December 30 Hoshiarpur and its surrounding areas came to a complete standstill on the call of a Punjab bandh organised by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha. During the protest, farmers raised slogans against the BJP-led central government, demanding immediate attention to their issues. The bandh led to widespread disruption, with traffic in the city coming to a halt and markets remaining deserted, causing significant inconvenience to the general public. Key road junctions, including Purhiran Bypass, Chandigarh Bypass, Tanda Bypass, Adda Baghpur, Adda Mehtiana, and Tanda Chowk, were completely blocked for heavy vehicles, leading to severe traffic congestion. Though emergency services were exempted from the blockade, ordinary commuters faced immense difficulty due to the heavy traffic jams. In addition to road blockades, the farmers also dis- c m y b Hoshiarpur bus stand wears a deserted look amid the Punjab bandh call on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO rupted rail services by staging a sit-in on the tracks, further affecting passengers traveling to distant destinations throughout the day. Several shops and banks that had initially remained open during the bandh were later shut down by the protesting farmer organisations. The Doaba General Category Front, along with other farmers’ organisa- tions, staged a sit-in protest at Adda Mehtiana. Prominent leaders, including Front President Balveer Singh Phuglana, Surjit Singh Bhungarni, and Mahinder Singh, former Sarpanch of Mukhaliana, expressed their dissatisfaction with the central government’s disregard for farmers’ demands. At the same time, Bharatiya Kisan Union Doaba President Manjit Singh Rai and Azad Kisan Committee Doaba President Harpal Singh Sangha led another protest at Purhiran Bypass on the Hoshiarpur-Phagwara road. The farmer leaders raised slogans against the government, claiming that the promises made during the farmers’ struggle were not being fulfilled. They also highlighted the ongoing fast by farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on hunger strike for nearly a month to press the government’s attention on the farmers’ demands. Meanwhile, the Azad Kisan Sangharsh Committee Doaba, under the leadership of Working President Harpreet Singh Lali, Senior Vice President Jaspal Singh Raja, and Patron Gurdeep Singh Khun-Khun, organised a blockade at the local Tanda Bypass. The protesters raised strong slogans against the central government, vowing that their struggle would continue until their demands were addressed. The bandh, which caused significant disruption throughout Hoshiarpur and neighbouring regions, underscored the farmers’ deepening frustration with the lack of progress on issues they had been raising for months. As tensions remain high, farmer leaders have reiterated their commitment to continuing the protests until the government addresses their grievances.