People blocked the Mansa Devi railway crossing on Sunday to protest a forest survey, disrupting rail and road traffic in the Rishikesh area. The agitation forced two trains originating from Rishikesh to be halted; the Ganganagar Express was stopped near the Mansa Devi crossing, while the Kochuveli Express was held at Virbhadra station.
Protesters also blocked an internal road near the National Highway at Nandu Farm, close to Bapu Gram, leading to a massive traffic jam of nearly five kilometres from Rishikesh to IDPL Gate Number Two.
Commuters faced severe inconvenience as vehicles struggled to move through the congested stretch.
Sunday marked the third day of the forest survey, during which protesters prevented forest department teams from entering several localities. The blockade brought train operations on the affected railway section to a standstill, significantly impacting passengers and transport services.