Mumbai, May 22 (IANS): Peak summer holiday crowds were badly hit by the ongoing 24-hour agitation by Gujjars in Kota division of Rajasthan with scores of train services disrupted, a Western Railway official said here on Friday.
The peaceful agitation which started on Thursday has seen thousands of Gujjars blocking railway lines on the Kota-Mathura section of the Western Central Railway, but there was no report of any damage to railway property, an official spokesperson said.
However, three trains to Mumbai were cancelled and 16 trains from Mumbai scheduled to depart on Friday and Saturday were diverted via alternative routes, including the prestigious Rajdhani Express and its twin August Kranti Express.
Among the trains cancelled are: 19023 Mumbai Central-Firozpur Janata Express of Saturday, 12909 Bandra Terminus-Nizamuddin Garib Rath Express of Saturday, and 29019 Mandsaur-Kota Express and 19019 Bandra Terminus-Dehradun Express both of Sunday.
Friday's 12953 Mumbai Central-Nizamuddin August Kranti Express was re-scheduled to leave here at 23.55 p.m. Friday night.
The 22209 Mumbai Central-New Delhi Duronto Express was diverted to go via Nagda-Nishatpura-Bina-Jhansi-Mathura route, 19037 Bandra Terminus-Gorakhpur Avadh Express via Chanderiya-Jaipur-Bandikui-Agra Fort route, 12415 Indore-Nizamuddin Express via Maksi-Guna-Gwalior-Mathura, 12431 Trivandrum-Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express and 12287 Kochuveli-Dehradun Express via Kalyan-Bhopal-Bina-Mathura.
Other Saturday trains departing from various points were also diverted, including 12951 Mumbai Central-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, 12953 Mumbai Central-Nizamuddin August Kranti Express, 12925 Bandra Terminus-Amritsar Paschim Express, 12903 Mumbai Central-Amritsar Golden Temple Mail, 19039 Bandra Terminus-Muzaffarpur Avadh Express, 12415 Indore-Nizamuddin Express, 19021 Bandra Terminus-Lucknow Express, 15667 Gandhidham-Kamakhya Express, 12937 Gandhidham-Howrah Garbha Superfast Express and 12573 Ahmedabad-Jammu Tavi Sarvodaya Express.
The 59355 Ratlam-Mathura Express departing on May 22 and May 23 was partially cancelled between Gangapur and Mathura.
Western Railway has set up special refund counters, helplines and assistance booths at Mumbai Central and Bandra terminus to help passengers.