Cable thefts make Railway reservation counters defunct

Itanagar, Mar 29 (UNI) The railway reservation counter at Pappu Nallah near here has become defunct because of repeated cable thefts causing untold suffering to the railway commuters and heavy loss to the transport department running the counter as well as the BSNL.

Many railway passengers interested to either book or cancel tickets, while talking to UNI, have expressed strong resentment against the menace of cable theft, reported on March 14, 16 and 27 by unknown miscreants, who have been targeting the cable line for the reservation counter in a planned manner.

Sources in state's transport department, managing the reservation counter, pointed out that around 200 tickets are booked daily. But, more commuters interested in booking for the school vacation have been returning disheartened for the last one week, they added.

BSNL general manager Ranjan Dutta, when contacted, expressed his helplessness, saying the service provider cannot do the policing job. The civil and police administration has to provide security for the essential service in the greater interest of the state, he said, adding FIRs were lodged with the police.

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