Bandh Disrupts Train Services In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Train services under East Coast Railway (ECoR) were badly disrupted on Wednesday in the state owing to the 12-hour dawn-to-dusk statewide bandh and hartal call given by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) and State BJP Unit respectively against the Kunduli gangrape victim’s
suicide.

As per an ECoR release, 18117 Rourkela-Gunupur Rajyarani Express train was detained at Mancheswar railway station from 6:12 am to 6: 54 am. The train was again halted by bandh supporters at Palasa station at 11:20 am for five minutes.

The  22642 Shalimar-Trivandrum Express was halted from 6:48 am to 7:24 am at Mancheswar, from 8:12 am to 8:54 am at Kaipadar road and between 11:10 am and 11:15 at Berhampur station.

Besides, 12802 New Delhi-Puri Purusottam Express was stopped at Mancheswar station from 7:05 am to 7:35 am. Later, the train was also detained at Bhadrak railway station from 7:47 am to 8:11 am.

While 12891 Bangiriposi-Bhubaneswar Express was also stopped at Mancheswar station at around 10:42 am, the 12278 Puri-Howrah Shatabdi Express train was stopped at Retang station from 6:30 am to 7:40 am. The express train was also halted at Baudpur from 10:04 am to 11:25 am.

Apart from this, 12074 Bhubaneswar-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express left at 7:40 am and halted at Bhadrak station from 9:47 am to 11:20 am.

The 22507 Bangalore-New Tinsukia Express was detained Bhubaneswar station from 6:24 am to 7:25 am. The train was also halted at Bhadrak station from 10:09 am to 11:35 am.

Moreover, the 18414 Puri-Paradeep Express was detained at Khurda Road from 6:53 am to 7:40 am and 1841 Puri-Kendujhargarh Express at Khurda Road station from 6:53 am to 7:40 am.

Among other trains, 12281 Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express was also detained at Bhubaneswar railway station for 33 minutes and at Jajpur-Keonjhar Road station from 10:12 am to 10:51 am.  It was also halted by the agitators at Baitarani road station from 10:59 am to
11:21 am.

In view of the situation, the railway authorities have cancelled the services of 12893/12894 Bhubaneswar-Balangir-Bhubaneswar Inter-City Express between Sambalpur and Balangir from both the directions.

The 22823 Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express from Bhubaneswar will leave at 7:30 pm instead of 9:30 am on Thursday due to late running of train in view of fog on northern parts of the country, the release added.