📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Reserve Bank of India
Politics
Komi Insaf Morcha Calls for Punjab Shutdown; Highway Gridlock Hits Mohali, Trains Unaffected
✍️ Amar Ujala · Mohali
🗓 21 Aug 2026, 10:48 AM
👁 7
The nationalist group Komi Insaf Morcha announced a statewide bandh in Punjab, leading to a traffic jam on the Mohali highway while railway operations continued normally.
The Komi Insaf Morcha, a regional political front, issued a call today for a complete shutdown across Punjab. Organisers urged citizens to observe the bandh as a protest measure, and the announcement was widely circulated through local media and social networks.
In Mohali, the directive triggered a severe congestion on the Chandigarh‑Mohali highway as commuters halted their journeys in solidarity. Eyewitnesses reported that many motorists stopped their vehicles and stood by the road with folded hands, seeking permission to proceed despite the bandh.
Railway authorities, however, confirmed that train services running through Punjab remained operational and were not disrupted by the protest. Officials said that security personnel were deployed along the tracks to ensure smooth movement and to prevent any spill‑over from road blockades.
Local police monitored the situation and reported no major incidents or arrests, emphasizing that the bandh was largely peaceful but had caused notable inconvenience for road users.
The bandh is expected to continue for the day, with authorities urging commuters to plan alternate routes and remain vigilant.
In Mohali, the directive triggered a severe congestion on the Chandigarh‑Mohali highway as commuters halted their journeys in solidarity. Eyewitnesses reported that many motorists stopped their vehicles and stood by the road with folded hands, seeking permission to proceed despite the bandh.
Railway authorities, however, confirmed that train services running through Punjab remained operational and were not disrupted by the protest. Officials said that security personnel were deployed along the tracks to ensure smooth movement and to prevent any spill‑over from road blockades.
Local police monitored the situation and reported no major incidents or arrests, emphasizing that the bandh was largely peaceful but had caused notable inconvenience for road users.
The bandh is expected to continue for the day, with authorities urging commuters to plan alternate routes and remain vigilant.