Rail Roko: Delhi Metro shuts entry, exit at 4 stations
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Thursday closed the entry and exit points at four metro stations near the Tikri border, one of the sites where farmers have been camping in their protest against the central government's three new farm laws. The stations that were shut included Tikri Border, Pandit Shree Ram Sharma, Bahadurgarh City, and Brigadier Hoshiar Singh. They were later opened.
DMRC informed about closure of stations on Twitter
In a tweet posted around 11 am today, the DMRC had informed, "Security Update - Entry/exit for Tikri Border, Pandit Shree Ram Sharma, Bahadurgarh City, and Brig. Hoshiar Singh have been closed." The operations at all the four stations were resumed later in the day. "All stations are open. Normal services on all lines (sic)," DMRC tweeted around 4 pm.
Here is the latest update from DMRC
Public Service Announcement
— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I कृपया मास्क पहनें😷 (@OfficialDMRC) February 18, 2021
Entry/exit gates of Tikri Border, Pandit Shree Ram Sharma, Bahadurgarh City and Brig. Hoshiar Singh metro stations are open.
All stations are open. Normal services on all lines. https://t.co/DlRi2OvA5I
Stations closed over 'security concerns,' said officials
Delhi Metro officials said these stations were temporarily closed as a preventive step, in view of "security concerns" raised by the Delhi Police. For the unversed, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions spearheading the protest, had last week announced the "Rail Roko" - a nationwide rail blockade plan - to be held between 12 pm and 4 pm today.
Rail tracks also blocked in Punjab, Haryana, UP
Apart from Delhi, the rail blockade was also observed in parts of Punjab, Haryana Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka as protesting farmers gathered near rail tracks there. Train stations at Haryana's Sonipat, Ambala, and Jind were completely blocked, NDTV reports.
What are the farmers protesting against?
Thousands of farmers, mostly from northern states, have been holding a protest against three agricultural laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Claiming that the laws are unfair to them, they are demanding their rollback by the Centre.
