Gujjar stir cost Railways over Rs 40 crore

NEW DELHI: More than 1,000 trains were diverted, cancelled or short-terminated and over Rs 40 crore incurred in losses by the Railways during the 17 days of the Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan and neighbouring states.
    
It suffered losses mainly due to passenger ticket refunds and disruptions in freight services besides damage to railway tracks, a senior Railways Ministry official said.
    
While Delhi-Mumbai trunk route was the worst affected, Northern Railway and Western Railway suffered maximum losses due to the Gujjar agitation on Scheduled Tribe status, Railway statistics over the past 20 days indicate.
    
The Ministry is yet to come out with a final figure of losses incurred but preliminary estimates coming from the zonal railways suggest it could be over Rs 40 crore.