The ongoing major infrastructure and safety-related works at various stations under the East Coast Railway (ECoR) is now giving harrowing experience to several train passengers. At present, several trains to and from Bhubaneswar station are cancelled due to the ongoing works for the third line between Mancheswar and Bhubaneswar. Several trains are operating from Bhubaneswar New Station and Khordha Road.
As many passengers do not have adequate information regarding this, they are facing a lot of issues. The case of Rourkela's Sukant is no different. He had booked a train ticket on Intercity Express to travel to Rourkela from Bhubaneswar. But to his surprise, he received a message that his train would depart from Bhubaneswar New Station. The passenger heard the name of the station for the first time.
“I didn’t know about a station named Bhubaneswar New Junction. First, I did not get any public transport system, and secondly, no autorickshaw agreed to go there. I booked OLA by paying a double charge,” said Sukant.
Not only Sukant, but scores of passengers are having a tough time moving to their respective destinations from Bhubaneswar.
“I wanted to go to my home in Angul after completion of my exam. When I reached Master Canteen, I got information that the train would leave from the New Station. It created problem as there was no bus service; and, later reserved an auto,” said Lipika, another passenger.
Station officials, on the other hand, claim that Helpdesk has been set up at Bhubaneswar New Station and free bus service has started from Barang.
“For the passengers, who will come to Bhubaneswar New Station, there is the provision of bus from Barang square,” said PK Das, CTI Bhubaneswar.
As per the ECoR, safety and infrastructural-related development works are underway at Haridaspur, Bhubaneswar, Mancheswar, Sambalpur and Sambalpur City Railway Stations. It started on August 12 and will continue till August 30. Therefore, several trains have been cancelled, short-terminated and diverted till August 30, the ECoR informed. As many as 85 pairs of trains have been cancelled.
“Whichever train is cancelled, message is sent to the passengers who receive it through IRCTC regarding short termination or cancellation of trains. We also upload information on social media,” said Biswajit Sahu, Chief PRO, ECoR.