Keonjhar strike hits plying of trains

KEONJHAR : Mineral transportation on Jakhapura-Banspani railway line was affected following an indefinite rail roko call given by different organizations on Saturday.
They agitators are demanding plying of Keonjhar-Bhubaneswar fast passenger train through Cuttack instead of Naraj, plying of Keonjhar-Bhubaneswar fast passenger train daily instead of five days a week, plying of Vishakhapatnam-Tatanagar express via Keonjhar three days in a week and extension of Puri-Chakradharpur train to Tatanagar.
Convener of Keonjhar Yuba Parishad Barada Prasanna Das said, "We will not allow movement of mineral-laden trains till our demands are fulfilled. The railways earns crores of rupees as revenue from transportation of minerals but is neglecting the district since years." "We are not obstructing movement of passenger trains," said a member of the parishad, Santosh Mohapatra.
Divisional commercial manager (Khurda) Tribikram Mishra said, "It is not possible to fulfill their demand at this juncture because doubling of railway line is going on and of other problems."
The railway authorities had to stop passenger trains at different stations. At Tomaka and Sagadapata, tense passengers allegedly attacked the railway staff and damaged the station. Passengers also faced problems after a train was stopped at Jurudi station.
Additional district magistrate Sangram Keshari Swain said, "We had asked the railway authorities not to stop passenger trains but they did not follow our orders."
Superintendent of Keonjhar station Binita Pata said, "I don't know why passenger trains were stopped. Senior officers took the decision."