Title - Local and long distance trains hit by power failure

Several local and long distance trains came to a halt as services in Kharagpur, Adra and Chakradharpur sections of South-Eastern Railway were hit by the failure of eastern zone grid today.

SER sources said several Mail/Express, Passenger, Suburban and Goods Trains were stranded at various sections after 1300 hrs though train services between Chakradharpur and Jharsuguda in the Howrah-Mumbai Trunk Route of Chakradharpur Division remained normal.

Train services became normal at 1600 hrs in Chakradharpur and Ranchi Divisions and at 18:00 hours in Kharagpur division. Train services in Adra Division except in Midnapur-Bishnupur Section have also become normal.

Till 1500 hrs around 60 of Mail/Express, Passenger and EMU trains suffered detention at different sections under the jurisdiction of South Eastern Railway, the sources said.

Following the power disruption all the important Mail/Express trains which remained stalled at different places were hauled by Diesel Engine to important stations for dispersal of passengers.

Among the trains taken to bigger stations by diesel engine were: 12245-Howrah-Yesvantpur Duronto (from Bhakrabad to Belda), 12246-Yesvantpur-Howrah Duronto (from Basta to Jaleswar), 22823 Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (from mid section to Jaleswar) and 12816-Puri bound Neelachal Express (from Rajghat to Balasore).

On the request of S.E.Railway, extra buses were provided by the State Government at Santragachi Station to enable the passengers to reach their destinations.

S.E.Railway arranged to run one Special Train between Kharagpur and Tatanagar for the convenience of the stranded passengers.

However,18001/18002- Howrah-Digha Kandari Express, 22853- Shalimar-Visakhapatnam Express, and 58003 - Howrah-Bhadrak Passenger were cancelled for the day, the sources said.