Title - Odisha Villagers to hold ‘Rail Roko’ against neglect by ECoR, Orissa District News

Report by Saroj Mishra, Puri: People of Delanga and Kanas belts have threatened stir against the East Coast Railway (EcoR) authority being neglected of amenities like drinking water, waiting rooms, chairs, flyover from on flat-form to other and halt for various express trains in both stations.

 Assembled under the banner of ‘Railway Station Development Committee’ they have decided to go for rail roko agitation if their demands were not given importance. On the deaf year of authority they alleged that passengers are facing problems under open sky as there is no roof on plat-form.

 Even no drinking water facility is available to passengers waiting for trains on both the stations they charged. They have informed the matter already taken up to Divisional Railway Manger (DRM) Khurda, General Manager of EcoR including minister of railway but no result they found as yet.

It is noted here Kanas and Delanga blocks of Puri district are worst affected in surface communication till today. With no direct road link available to Puri or Bhubaneswar for people of both areas train is the only mean to communication.

 Besides daily passengers plying to Bhubaneswar, Puri and Cuttack for jobs, locals in thousand journeying by trains to Kolkota, Mumbai, Chennai and Surat to meet their hard living. Local alleged from Delanga station only railway sold tickets worth Rs 2, 49 381, Rs 5, 84 295 and Rs 4, 99 372 in September, October and November months respectively which is average of Rs 16000 a day. 

Apart from short halt and passenger trains, no express or super-fast train halt here what they demand for stoppages of some express trains. For distant journey, passengers have to go either to Puri or Khurda Road station to catch express trains. 

Locals said if some express trains are allowed their halts then problem for locals will be solved where railway can grow its revenue collection. “If express trains halt in both stations long journey passengers can benefit which can raise the revenue of railway” said Raghunath Das, president of outfit. .