Chaos at New Delhi station as Gujjars protest

NEW DELHI - Chaos reigned supreme at the New Delhi railway station as thousands of passengers underwent a harrowing time amid intense cold as Gujjar protests in Rajasthan hit the Delhi-Mumbai route.

Men, women and children were stranded at the station, the busiest in the country, as several trains ran five to nine hours late.

Long queues formed at the enquiry counter as desperate passengers sought to know alternate routes.

Many passengers complained that they had been left high and dry.

“They announce train delays but are not telling us how long we have to wait on the platform,” complained Ramesh Gupta, who was to board the Golden Temple Mail to Amritsar. “I am waiting with my two children for five hours.”

Gujjars who are demanding reservation in government jobs laid siege to rail tracks near Bayana in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan.

Homemaker Meena Singh said: “I came to pick my mother who is coming from Mumbai. But her train is delayed by nine hours. I spoke to her over phone, and she said the train route has been changed.”

According to railway officials, close to 22 trains have been hit. Some have been cancelled.

“We have stopped train movement in the area due to security reasons,” a senior official told IANS.