Agitation hits coal movement in Talcher

Talcher, Mar 6 (UNI) The movement of coal from Talcher came to a grinding halt following an indefinite blockade by locals under the banner of the All Party Co-ordination Committee here today.

The locals resorting to an eight-hour blockade everyday since February 9 last, today decided to go for an indefinite agitation, paralysing the coal traffic.

They had been demanding immediate running of Puri-Sambalpur Intercity Sambalpur-Bhubaneswar Intercity and Jaipur weekly Superfast train via Talcher.

Committee convener P C Sahu claimed that the Railways, in order to promote its revenue from coal freight, continued to neglect the passenger services by not allowing any express trains to run through Talcher.

The Talcher station is the highest revenue earner of the Railways and the biggest loading point in the nation yet it received a raw deal by the Railways since Independence, Mr Sahu said.

Official sources said there was no dispatch of coal although every day as many as 24 rakes were dispatched to the thermal power station outside the state.

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