Title - Train to Santhal Parganas in 2 months

Silk city residents are likely to have a direct link to a portion of Santhal Parganas in Jharkhand this August. Eastern Railway is working on the extension of Bhagalpur-Mandar Hill (Bounsi) railway line to Hansdiha in Dumka district in Jharkhand. Sources said a direct railway link would be established between the tribal-dominated areas of Santhal Pargana and Bhagalpur once the extension of the tracks is over. On June 6, deputy chief engineer (construction) S. Priyadarshi, assistant chief engineer (construction) D.C. Pal and public works inspector R.K. Singh inspected the newly constructed 28km-stretch of the line from Mandar Hill to Hansdiha. "A light engine was operated on the new route to check the construction work of the tracks," a railway officer in Bhagalpur said. Commissioner of railway safety R.P. Yadav also inspected the tracks on June 12. The officer said the railway ministry was determined to start the operation of trains from Bhagalpur to Hansdiha by August. "The commissioner of railway safety inspected the tracks during a trial run of a train at a speed of 100kmph," the officer said. Once the tracks up to Hansdiha under the extension project of Bhagalpur-Mandar Hill stretch of Eastern Railway is extended to Rampurhat (Bengal) via Dumka, final trial on the new line will be conducted. Sources in the Malda division of Eastern Railway said work on the 41km-stretch from Hansdiha to Dumka was also progressing fast. Train service from Bhagalpur to Dumka is scheduled to start by 2014.