Thaindian News

Kolkata, Feb 20 (IANS) A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced extension of a suburban train, locals and passengers at its original terminus Monday disrupted services on a busy section for nearly nine hours during office hours, inconveniencing thousands of commuters.

Train services on Eastern Railway’s Howrah-Burdwan chord line were disrupted from 7.47 a.m. to 4.25 p.m. as a group of passengers obstructed railway tracks in Baruipara in protest against extension of Baruipara local upto Gurap.

Baruipara and Gurap are both in Hooghly district.

The agitators alleged that they had problems in boarding and travelling in the train as the extension has led to its overcrowding at Baruipara.

“It may be pointed out that a large number of people were demanding since long for the extension of Baruipara local to Gurap so that they can be benefited with a train reaching them to Howrah station during office hours,” said a press statement issued by eastern railway.

The statement claimed that before extension of this train service, the Eastern Railways had held discussions with the people as well as passenger associations on the issue.

Banerjee while addressing a railway program Sunday in the presence of Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, announced several projects which included extension of services of Howrah-Baruipara local upto Gurap.

However, Eastern Railway officials assured the agitators that the extended local from Gurap will be run by 12-coach rake, with two coaches being reserved for people boarding at Baruipara station.