SER neglects Orissa passengers: NCP

Bhubaneswar, Jul 10 (UNI) Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) MLA from Balasore Arun Dey today came down heavily on the South Eastern Railways(SER) for ignoring the plights of Orissa passengers and not running trains on Howrah-Puri section for last several days.

Mr Dey told newsperson here that the SER has been running at least 20 to 25 goods train daily on the Howrah-Chennai line but did not bother to run the passenger trains which would benefit lakhs of commuters of Orissa.

He said nearly 30,000 labourers who solely depended on the railways to earn their livelihood daily had been deprived of any job to eke out their living.

Neither the SER nor the Orissa government, Mr Dey said had taken any interest to repair the railway line on a war footing to restore the service on the Howrah-Chennai line.

The NCP MLA said although the track has been repaired but the Railway Authority has been running several goods trains keeping the interest of the steel plant and other industrial houses while the passengers continued to suffer in the absence of any communication link.

He said several students from Orissa were deprived of appearing counselling examination and admission in southern parts of the state as the Railway cancelled several long distance trains.

The irate people, Mr Dey said, raided the Balasore railway station on July seven last in protest against the 'apathy' of both the SER and the East Coast Railways to run the passenger trains on the section.

The Dhauli Express and the Janasatabdi Express which would benefit the people of Orissa had been cancelled while goods trains were allowed to run on the track, Mr Dey remarked.

The National Highway number 5 and 60, he said, had been badly damaged in the recent flood disrupting the communication for last three weeks. Yet, neither the state government nor the Centre had taken any interest to repair the road.

He said the National Highway could not be repaired before January next, adding that never in the past both the rail and road communications were disrupted for such a long period.

UNI DP KK AE BD2145