Title - Violence takes train movement off track

GUWAHATI: The ethnic violence in the western Assam districts of Kokrajhar and Chirang has led to the cancellation and regulation of several express and passenger trains in the state, because of which travelers are facing a horrific time at railway stations across Assam and North Bengal.

As many as 26 trains have been cancelled and 37 have been regulated by the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) on Tuesday due to security reasons in the areas hit by ethnic violence between the Bodo tribals and Muslims. Sources in the NFR said that unless a green signal is received from the state home department, train services will remain cancelled.

On security grounds, six trains - the Bangalore Express, P B Samparkranti Express, North East Express, Avadh Assam Express, Kanchanjangha Express and Guwahati-LT(T) Mumbai Express - which were about to leave Guwahati have been cancelled by the railway authorities, putting passengers in big trouble.

"My father and I arrived here from Shillong to leave for Nagpur in Maharashtra via Kolkata. Since our train has been cancelled, we have no other option than to go by air. I was going to collect my degree certificates from Bapurao Desmukh College of Engineering in Wardha. Such incidents of violence should not happen anywhere in the country. Many students and patients are stranded due to the clashes in the BTC area," said a dejected Subhashis Bhattacharjee, a student who has been waiting at Guwahati Railway Station from Tuesday morning.

To send passengers headed for upper Assam districts on their way, the NFR authorities appealed to them to board the Dibrugarh-bound Kamrup Express, which left Guwahati on Tuesday noon, but the train could not accommodate many of the travellers.

"I was about to leave for Dimapur, but it was not possible to travel in Kamrup Express as it was already jam packed," said Hafizur Rahman, another passenger.

Due to security reasons, Kamrup Express, Rajdhani Express and the Brahmaputra Mail, which were about to leave Dibrugarh on Tuesday, were cancelled, informed S Hajong, chief public relations officer of the NF Railway.

Down Capital Express and Kamakhya-Ranchi Express, which were about to leave the Kamakhya junction on Tuesday, has also been cancelled in view the security of the passengers.

Meanwhile, Union Railway minister Mukul Roy spoke to home minister P Chidambaram and Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi about the security scenario in Assam. Roy apprised them of the difficulties that are being faced by the Railways in running trains in the trouble-torn areas of lower Assam. He requested Chidambaram and chief minister Gogoi to prove adequate security and ensure smooth and safe movement of trains in the region.

"The trains, which are being regulated at small stations, will be taken to major stations where facilities for coach watering, coach charging and catering facilities are available," Hajong said.

Roy informed that the Railways are trying their best to regulate the train movement in view of the disturbances but requested for adequate security, especially in the 54-km stretch between Srirampur ad Salakati railway stations that is the worst-affected so that trains held up in the region for more than 24 hours can be moved towards their respective destinations. He assured the best possible care for stranded passengers.