The Samjhauta Express was cancelled today due to the ongoing protests by the Jat community in Haryana. Around 170 Pakistani passengers were stranded at the Delhi old railway junction and 92 Pakistani and Indian nationals stuck at Lahore railway station.
The Lahore-Delhi bus service too remained suspended for the second day today.
The Delhi-bound Samjhauta Express that was to chug off from Lahore this morning was stalled for the day after receiving a request from the Indian side about the prevailing disturbed conditions.
Attari railway superintendent SK Madaan said under the given circumstances, the passengers of the Samjhauta Express on both sides could not be ferried before Wednesday evening.
The Attari Railway authorities said their counterparts in Wagah were informed about the disturbed situation prevailing on this side of the border and requested to cancel the Delhi-bound Samjhauta Express for an indefinite period. The train was scheduled to leave Lahore railway station at 8 am today for Delhi.
The Indian passengers whose visas to Pakistan expired will have an option to stay at the Pakistan railway headquarters. They will be provided certificates to validate their stay in the country.
Similarly, the Pakistani nationals’ stay in India will be certified by the Indian authorities till the normalcy returns and the train service resumes.
Meanwhile, the rail and road traffic remained paralysed on the Ludhiana-Jakhal route, passing through Sangrur. At least 100 passengers, who were stranded at Sangrur railway station, today returned to their respective destinations in tempos. They were scheduled to take part in a religious fair in Sultanpur, near Hisar.
Vinod Jindal, general manager, PRTC, said since February 16, about 30 buses of the PRTC from Sangrur to Delhi, Haridwar, Paonta Sahib and Kaithal had not been plying regularly. Sohan Lal, station superintendent, Sangrur, said at least 14 trains could not ply on this track for the past two days.
