Traders demand long-distance trains on alternative route

Jamshedpur: As the rail blockade entered the fourth day, the representatives of trade and commerce bodies and passengers’ body on Saturday demanded the Railways to run long-distance trains on alternative routes.
The national secretary of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), Suresh Sonthalia, said, “The stakeholder states and the Union government should act to either end the stir or run the long-distance trains on alternative routes to mitigate the problems being faced by the passengers. Also, the traders who import food grains through the goods train are facing difficulties due to the blockade.”
The general secretary of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Manav Kedia, said the sufferings being faced by the rail passengers cannot be overlooked for long.
“The Railways should plan alternate routes to run trains. Why did the railway authorities not hold dialogues with the agitators to avert the protest after the latter had announced the blockade programme,” said the general secretary of Chotanagpur Passengers’ Association (CPA), Arun Kumar Tiwari.
Entrepreneur Bharat Vasani stated that the authorities in the state and at the Centre should address the issue in the interest of the common people. The president of Jamshedpur Yatri Sangh (JYS), Sheshnath Pathak, said the agitation has affected the movement of trains on different routes.
Florist Mohamed Amjad Ali, whose business has taken a hit in the past four days, stated that flowers are brought from Howrah, Medinipur, Nadia through trains. “What we are experiencing today is a sort of lockdown of the trains in this part of the country,” he rued.
Meanwhile, the SE railway, in its press release, said the Adivasi Kurmi Samaj (AKS) has announced its protest at Kotshila railway station in Adra division from Sunday afternoon. Hence, more trains have been cancelled, it added. The outfit is demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Kurmi community.
The railways on Sunday cancelled 122 trains, including long and short-distance, subject to further extension, due to the agitation at Khemasoli station between Kharagpur-Tatanagar section, and Kustaur station between Chandil and Sini section.