Demand for new level-crossing: Hundreds of people block train traffic in Gojra

TOBA TEK SINGH: Hundreds of people of more than one dozen localities of Gojra and its surrounding areas on Friday stopped train traffic near Siraj Town on Gojra-Toba Tek Singh track and demanded establishment of a new level crossing at the site.

They were carrying placards and staged a sit-in on the railway track. As a result, Karakoram Express at Pacca Anna Railway Station, Peshawar-Karachi bound Rahman Baba Express at Faisalabad Railway Station and Multan-Lahore bound Badar Express at Janiwala Railway Station were stopped.

The protesters told reporters that recently the railways had erected a steel fence around the track to stop the crossing through the track while small walls had also been built at various places near the track for same purpose. As a result, they added, the residents of Siraj Town, Nishatabad, Zubair Town, Qadir Colony, Chak Gadna Singh Wala and various other localities had to travel several kilometers extra to reach their houses from Gojra city.

Later, Gojra Assistant Commissioner Ms Sundas and Gojra DSP Iftikhar Ahmad held talks with the protesters but they refused to end the protest till the railways officials assure them that their demand would be accepted. The protest continued till the filing of this report.