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Rourkela: Disgruntled over cancellation of four trains including Bhubaneswar-Dhanbad Garib Rath Express from the steel city for an indefinite period from June 15, Rourkela Jagran Manch (RJM) on Saturday protested the decision and demanded the Ministry of Railways for rerunning the train services from Ranchi instead of Dhanbad.
Members of RJM presented a memorandum to Rourkela Station Master addressed to the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to take actions in this regard.
“We have demanded that Garib Rath which is the lifeline of passengers travelling to and from Rourkela should be restarted from Ranchi at least so that people do not suffer,” Rinku Samal, President RJM said.
Following elaborate discussions between Ministry of Railways and Coal Ministry, 13 mail and express trains along with six passenger trains have been cancelled while seven trains have been diverted to close traffic on Dhanbad-Chandrapura section due to underground fire of the Jharia coalfield.
The trains which have been cancelled also include four trains Dhanbad-Alleppey Express, Bhubaneswar-Dhanbad Garib Rath Express which run through Rourkela.
“As per the direction of Director General Mines to the Railway Board, these trains have been cancelled. When notification comes we will restart the trains,” AK Mishra, Rourkela Station Master told mediapersons.
The decision has been taken in view of passengers’ safety. The underground fire in Jharia colafield has been razing for past several decades and has increasingly intensified recently affecting the railway tracks laid during the British era and the decision to cancel the trains have been taken to avoid any major disaster.
