Farmers Movement Archive

Parking lots wear a deserted look due to farmers’ agitation

Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 3 While the railway passengers have been inconvenienced due to the ‘Rail Roko Abhiyan’ while displaying their dissent towards the controversial farm laws, parking lot operators outside the city railway station have also started feeling the pinch due to the outrage by the farmer outfits. It has taken a toll on the income of parking lot owners. When the railway services were resumed on June 1, after three months of strict lockdown, the parking lot owners and workers were also hoping for their life to get back on track. It’s been over 40 days that the parking lots have been wearing a deserted look. While the parking area of the four-wheelers is completely closed, only three workers are presently managing the vacant two-wheeler parking lot. The workers said they were paid only to take care of the parking lots. Out of 13 workers, 10 were also laid off between April and May due to zero business. Sunil Kumar (24), one of the supervisors, who has been working at the parking lot for the past eight years, said, this was for the first time that the parking space was lying vacant. “Only old and damaged vehicles have been parked here currently. The only parking lot is also likely to be closed in the coming days as the protest has been been extended and train services have been halted. With people remaining inside during the curfew, we didn’t get any visitors and the owners subsequently suffered losses in lakhs,” added Sunil. A native of Nepal, Sunil lives in the parking lot only and fearing its closure, he is worried about finding a new job besides an accommodation, which he says wouldn’t be affordable as he also has to send a major part of his earning to his family back home. Bhola Kumar (21), who works during the night shift is also on the same page and wants immediate resumption of trains.

The Tribune

2020-11-04