Rail rokos for united AP hit train schedule

GUNTUR, Jan. 5: The leaders of various political parties on Tuesday staged rail rokos in Guntur, Tenali, Bapatla, Narsaraopet, Nidubrole railway stations in the district to mount pressure on the Central government for a united Andhra Pradesh.

They staged rail rokos in response to the call given by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. As a precautionary measure, the Guntur division of the South Central railway already cancelled some passenger trains.

The JAC leaders under the banner of the Samaikya Andhra Pradesh staged rail roko in the Guntur railway station and they stopped the Sabari Express, Guntur-Macherla passenger for nearly one-and-a-half hour.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chilakaluripet MLA, Mr Prattipati Pulla Rao, demanded that the Central government withdraw process for separate Telangana immediately. If the government did not stop the process, he threatened that the JAC would intensify the stir. He stressed need for a united Andhra Pradesh.

The former minister, Mr Alapati Rajendra Prasad, said the government should take a decision on Telanga-na, after taking the opinion of all the political parties.

The Guntur market yard chairman, Mr Lella Appire-ddy, said that development is possible with united Andhra Pradesh. Later they stopped the Sabari Express and Guntur-Macherla passenger from 7.30 am to 8.45 am. They raised the slogans in favour of a united Andhra Pradesh. The JAC leaders also stopped the trains in Tenali, Bapatla, Narsaraop-et and Nidubrole railway st-ations to register protest.

Meanwhile, the police, railway protection force also beefed up security as a precautionary measure at all the railway stations in the district in view of the rail roko call given by the JAC leaders in the district.