Adivasi blockade hits train services in Assam

Guwahati, Dec 17 (UNI) Several major trains, including both the Up and Down Rajdhani Express, were delayed by several hours following the 12-hour economic blockade and Assam bandh called by the All Adivasi Students' Association of Assam (AASAA) today.

The bandh also affected normal life in the Adivasi belts, though it failed to have an impact on other parts of the state.

No untoward incident has been reported so far, with the state government making strong security arrangements and taking all precautionary steps.

However, train movement was hit in the lower Assam districts, specially in Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon.

Northeast Frontier (NF) Railway spokesperson Jayanta Sharma informed that several passenger trains were delayed as picketers squatted on railway tracks at Hasimara and Srirampur stations.

However, movement of trains resumed in the afternoon after the tracks were cleared following intervention by the district administration and no re-scheduling of any train was needed, he added.

The trains affected include both the up and down Rajdhani Express, up Bangalore Express, up Kamrup Express, up Brahmaputra Mail, down Dadar Express and down Amarnath Express.

Vehicles also kept off the roads in the Adivasi dominated areas.

UNI