Jamshedpur: Several social and political groups staged a day-long dharna on Tuesday to protest the delays in the arrival of passenger trains at Tatanagar railway station. More than 12 organizations participated in the demonstration, which was led by Jamshedpur (West) MLA Saryu Roy.
“The people will halt the movement of goods trains if the issue of delayed arrival of passenger trains is not sorted out soon,” the JD(U) MLA warned officials. Roy further stated that a 21-member panel, comprising members of various groups, will be formed to carry out the protests. “We will meet the Railway Minister and Railway Board chairman to find a solution to this problem,” Roy added.
The delayed running of trains on the Tatanagar-Chakradharpur section, particularly towards Tatanagar, has frustrated passengers. The railway should prioritize passenger trains and ensure that unnecessary delays do not become routine. However, if there is no visible improvement in passenger train operations, people will be compelled to halt the goods trains, Roy claimed.
Aditya Choudhary, the senior divisional commercial manager of the Chakradharpur railway division, met with the protesters and assured them that the problem would be resolved in the near future. “Work on laying the third rail line between Asanboni and Jharsuguda is in full swing. Passenger train operations will improve after the completion of the third line,” Choudhary stated. A loop line between Tatanagar and Chakradharpur stations is proposed, while the 1,868-km-long dedicated freight corridor from Dankuni to Surat will permanently address the issue of passenger train halts, Choudhary added.
