The Western Railway (WR) has changed trains of milk tankers, which set out from Gujarat, to ensure that they arrived in Mumbai without any issues. Raju Shetti of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana attempted a blockade of trains carrying milk containers at Dahanu Road in Palghar district, as a part of the Statewide agitation by dairy farmers.
Around 11.30 a.m. 50 protesters tried to stop the Mumbai-Ahmedabad passenger from proceeding ahead as they were under the notion that the train was carrying milk containers. However, upon realising that there were no containers, the agitators let the train pass. After waiting for a few hours, they left the Dahanu Road station. The milk containers were attached to Saurashtra Express, which was running late.
The Western Railway, taking cognisance of the situation, had decided to detach the milk containers from the train and attach them to another one bound for the city. “We got information from the Government Railway Police that there is a possibility of protesters stopping the train and they requested that we change the train,” a senior railway official said. Sources said the change occurred at Surat where the extra milk tankers were attached to another express train.
Declining stocks
According to Ashok Patil, vice-president of the Bombay Goods and Transport Association, the city gets around 60% of its milk from Maharashtra and 40% from Gujarat. “Regardless of the number of tankers sent from Gujarat, it won’t be able to bridge the deficit caused due to the current agitation,” he said, “The city usually has stock for seven days, but it is rapidly declining.”
Mr. Patil said his organisation along with several others would hold a chakka jam against government policies on July 20. Essential commodities would be out of the purview of the agitation.
