Train services in Bengal & Odisha hit by Adivasi agitation

Train services in West Bengal and Odisha were hit on Monday due to a blockade by an umbrella organisation of Adivasis who are demanding recognition of their language.

The Kharagpur division of the South Eastern Railway (SER) was affected since 6 am after members of the Bharat Jakat Majhi Marwa squatted on tracks at several West Bengal stations, including Balichak, Nekusini, Salboni, Chattna and Khemasuli, an official said.

A number of mail, express and local trains were stuck at various stations of Kharagpur-Howrah, Kharagpur-Tatanagar, Kharagpur-Bhadrak and Kharagpur-Adra sections, said SER spokesperson Sanjay Ghosh said.

Several express trains, including 18645 Howrah-Hyderabad East Coast Express, 12262 Howrah-Mumbai CSMT Duronto Express, 22863 Howrah-Yesvantpur AC Express, 18030 Shalimar-LTT Express and 06009 Santragachi-Puducherry special have been cancelled, the spokesperson said.

The services of the 22841 Santragachi-Chennai Central Antyodaya Express, 18409 Howrah-Puri Sri Jagannath Express and 18007 Shalimar-Bhanjpur Express were also cancelled for the day, Ghosh said, adding that many other trains were short-terminated at different stations.

The agitators also blocked roads at different places of Salboni, Khemasuli, Nekusini and Khirpai in West Midnapore district, said Superintendent of Police Alok Rajoria.

In Odisha, at least four trains were cancelled and 14 others hit as traffic on the Howrah-Chennai main line, especially at Bhadrak, was affected, an East Coast Railway (ECoR) release said.

Trains to be cancelled on Tuesday are 12074 Bhubaneswar-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express from Bhubaneswar and 12278 Puri-Howrah Shatabdi Express from Bhubaneswar/Puri, due to cancellation of the connecting trains on Monday.

Similarly, 58007 Kharagpur-Bhadrak Passenger from Kharagpur and 58030 Bhadrak-Balasore Passenger from Bhadrak were cancelled on Monday, it said.

At least 14 other trains were controlled at different places enroute in ECoR jurisdiction, it added.