Train services come to a halt in West Bengal

Kolkata, Dec 14 (UNI) The CITU and its allies-sponsored 24-hour nationwide strike brought train services to a grinding halt in West Bengal.

Due to obstructions at different stations in all the four divisions of Bengal at Sealdah, Howrah, Asansol and Maldah by the bandh supporters, Eastern railway's train services have been disrupted after 0600 hours today, an offical release said here.

28 stations in Sealdah division felt the effect of the bandh when CITU workers squatted on the tracks and brought the railway services to a standstill.

The stations affected were Kanchrapara, Barrackpore, Dum Dum Jn, Khardah, Naihati, Ranaghat, Shyamnagar, Pyradanga, Madanpur, Taherpur, Plassey, Krishnapur on main line sections at Birati, Duttapukur, Barasat, Habra, Guma and Bongaon on Bongaon section, Hasanabad, Gede, Shantipur and Aranghata and also Lakshimikantapur, Canning, Diamond Harbour, Sonarpur, Akra and Budge Budge on Sealdah South section.

25 stations in Howrah division were also affected. They were Belur, Bally, Rishra, Shrirampur, Bhadreswar, Bandel, Simla Garh, Rasulpur and Barddhaman on the Main line; Kamarkundu, Gangpur and Chanchal on the Chord line; Tarakeswar, Bahirkhand and Haripal on the Tarakeswar line; Katwa, Somra Bazar, Agradwip, Salar and Azimganj on the Katwa line and Bonpas, Nalhati, Ahmedpur, Gushkara and Rampurhat in the Sahibganj loop.

Eight stations in Asansol division and two in Malda division were also affected.

The long distance trains that have already arrived are Howrah- Jodhpur Express, Kamrup Express, Mithila Express, Jamalpur Express, Shaktipunj Express and Gaya Express. Darjeeling Mail, Gour express, Teesta Torsa Express, Balia Express and Lalgola Fast Passenger have arrived at Sealdah.

Shatabdi express was the lone long distance train that left from Howrah. Several trains have been cancelled including 65657 Sealdah-Guwahati Kanchanjunga Express, 3017 Howrah-Azimganj Ganadevta Express, 3317 Howrah-Dhanbad Black Diamond Express, 2381 Howrah-new Delhi Poorva Express, 2342 Asansol-Howrah Agniveena Express, 3504 Asansol-Sealdah Intercity Express.

Trains that have been detained enroute are Danapur Express at Chandanpur, Doon Express at Barddhaman, Uttarbanga Express at Gurap, Poorvanchal Express at Barddhaman, Hatey Bazare Express at Bandel, Sealdah-Varanasi Express at Murarai and Gangasagar Express at Khardah.

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