Vikash Sharma

Paradip: The trial run of a goods train on newly opened Paradip-Haridaspur railway route was opposed by locals at Nuagaon station on Friday. Residents of several nearby villages staged a rail roko demanding immediate starting of passenger train services on the route.

As per reports, the agitators halted a coal-laden goods train at Nuagaon which was going from Paradip to Rourkela railway station.

Some local residents including Sarpanch and others halted the train and demanded for running of passenger trains on the route. The agitators demanded a written assurance from the station manager in this regard.

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) authorities had flagged off the train today through a virtual event due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“Some people including local elected representatives stopped the train. They are demanding starting of passenger trains on the route. Despite our request that it is only trial run of the goods train, the agitators did not cleared the tracks,” said Nuagaon station manager, Babuli Charan Mallick.

On Wednesday, Union PNG & Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had requested Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to set a date for formal inauguration of the 82 KM rail link in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Naveen Patnaik.

Paradip-Haridaspur Rail project has been one of the most widely anticipated railway lines in the state since the sanctioning of the project in 1996 and laying of its foundation stone in 1999. But due to several reasons, the completion of the project was delayed by almost two decades.

(Edited By Suryakant Jena)

Also Read:

Kendrapara On Railway Map After Completion Of Haridaspur-Paradip Railway Line

Flag Off Passenger Train Service On Haridaspur-Paradip Line Soon: Odisha CM To Centre

scrollToTop