Travellers suffer as CR, SECR divn bosses fail to resume local trains’ service

 

 

 

travellers are facing hardships due to delay on part of the Indian Railways in restarting local trains service as it has hit the inter-district movement. Though movement of long distance Mail/Express is normalised, there is no decision yet on status of local trains service. These trains provided inter-district connectivity and were having good patronage till COVID-19 outbreak led to suspension. Around two years since, and easing of norms relating to travel by Central and State Governments, officials of Central Railway (CR) and South East Central Railway (SECR) still appear reluctant to end the sufferings of common man. The ongoing strike by staffers of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has compounded the sufferings of daily travellers.

 

In addition, inflation and rising cost of fuel have added extra financial burden as daily travellers have to commute in private vehicles in absence of any options. Despite travellers facing such hardship, the officialdom at both divisions is reluctant to intervene and provide relief to the harassed citizens. Especially the daily travellers, mainly officer-goers, who shuttle between city and other parts of Vidarbha, and traders, who are dependent on Nagpur market, are hit hard due to non-availability of local or passenger trains. In long-distance trains, apart from the higher fare, the non-availability of confirmed reservation is a big issue. Therefore, there is demand from all quarters to restart the passenger movement on inter-district at the earliest and provide relief. Although many representations have been submitted to railway bosses at Nagpur Division of Central Railway and South East Central Railway, the wait for local trains continues to linger on, stated Basant Shukla, Secretary, Bharatiya Yatri Kendra (BYK), an NGO. At Central Railway, there were four local trains ex-Nagpur and they were Nagpur-Amla, Nagpur-Amravati, Nagpur-Itarsi and Nagpur-Bhusawal via Khandwa and Nagpur-Bhusawal via Wardha-Badnera, Ajni-Kazipet.

 

All these passenger trains were popular among travellers due to their convenient timings. Non-functioning of these trains has put monthly season ticket (MST) holders in a quandary as they are finding it difficult to shuttle between cities. Brij Bhushan Shukla, Secretary, Rail Yatri Sangh (RYS), an NGO, when contacted by ‘The Hitavada’, wondered what is stopping the local Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) from starting the passenger trains especially when they have restarted in other parts of the country. In Mumbai, all suburban train services have resumed. Shukla mentioned about travelling to Jabalpur a month back where West Central Railway (WCR) local trains are running normally.

 

“I think Indian Railway orders are similar across the country, so who is stopping CR and SECR bosses from restarting local trains in Nagpur Divisions,” he asked. During a recent meeting of Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC), Central Railway, Rahul Shukla, Member, spoke about the delay in decision on restarting of passengers trains and mentioned ongoing strike of MSRTC staffer and sought relief for travellers. Senior Shukla mentioned that railways can ensure that all restrictions considering COVID-19 outbreak can be introduced to ensure that only fully vaccinated people can undertake travel. Or for that matter the ECRC can check status of traveller and then only issue the current tickets. Only one local passenger train service is started in both divisions, at Central Railway, Nagpur-Amla passenger and in SECR, Gondia-Itwari is running. At SECR, the other passengers trains that used to operate included Tata-Itwari, Dongargarh-Gondia, Raipur-Itwari, Jharsugda-Gondia ad Itwari-Ramtek.