Farmers' organizations in Punjab, protesting the three Central farm laws, on Saturday announced to lift their rail blockade for passenger trains from November 23. The decision to permit passenger trains in the state came after a meeting of representatives of farmer leaders with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh who had invited them for talks here.

"Punjab farmers to completely lift their rail blockade from November 23 to allow all goods and passenger trains, in response to the impassioned appeal by the chief minister at a meeting with Kisan Unions," tweeted Raveen Thukral, media advisor to the Punjab chief minister. Before meeting the chief minister, farmers' organizations held their own meeting to deliberate the rail blockade issue.

The farmers' organization, which had resorted to 'rail roko' agitation from September 24 over the farm laws, had already agreed to allow goods trains to run in the state, besides clearing rail tracks and vacating platforms. But the deadlock between the protesting farmers and the Railways continued over the resumption of trains.

Halting of goods trains has also hit the supplies of fertilizers for the agriculture sector, coal for thermal power plants and supply of gunny bags for paddy procurement.

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