NEW DELHI: Wherever a violent agitation erupts, rail is inevitably made the first target resulting in the cancellation of train services abruptly in India. On average, 71 train services were cancelled every day during the last six month in India's different states due to both internal and external factors like agitation and others.
During the six days of Agnipath agitation alone from June 15 to 23, around 2,132 train services were cancelled resulting in a huge loss of more than Rs 397.44 crore(Rs 102.44 crore of refund to the passengers on the cancellation of their trains including).
Sharing details in a written reply to a query in Rajya Sabha on Friday, the Ministry of Railway said "As many as 9,000 train services were cancelled during the last six months including 2,132, cancelled alone during the eight days of violent protests against the Agnipath scheme", the Railway ministry informed the Rajya Sabha in reply to a query of ShivSena RS MP Sanjay Raut.
It was also said that the train services in agitation against the Agnipath scheme were disrupted at 62 locations in the railways in which rail property and assets, worth Rs 259.96 crore, was damaged and destroyed. As many as 10 engines and dozens of AC and non-AC coaches were set on fire during the agitation that causing a huge loss to railway. The maximum damages were reported from Bihar and
Telangana.
The railway said that the services of all trains affected during the agitation against the Agnipath, have been restored.