Gaya MP protests delay in rail project, writes to PM

GAYA: Gaya MP Hari Manjhi has strongly protested the eight-year-long delay in the execution of railway project for construction of second wash pit at Gaya station. Wash pit is a pre-condition for introduction of long-distance trains originating from Gaya.
There is only one wash pit in Gaya that takes care of the Mahabodhi Express, Garib Rath and weekly Gaya-Egmore Express.The second wash pit was to come up in 2007.
In a representation addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Gaya MP said the delay in project execution is causing a lot of problem to commuters and urged him to initiate effective steps to get the wash pit constructed at the earliest.
Earlier, the MP wrote had written several letters to railway ministers including Suresh Prabhu.
Besides the early execution of the wash pit project, the MP has also reiterated his long-pending demand for the extension of Howrah-Dhanbad double-decker train up to Gaya.
The double-decker train caoches are abandoned for several hours at Dhanbad and it can be easily extended up to Gaya. The double-decker train, besides easing pressure on other trains, can also help to maximize capacity utilisation and revenue earning.
Supporting the demand for extension, Grand Chord Passengers’ Association president DK Jain said as of now, the train is running with an average occupancy rate of about 30% causing huge revenue loss to the railways. “If extended upto Gaya, the train will run packed to its capacity and the 458 km distance between Gaya and Howrah can be covered in less than six hours,” wrote Hari Manjhi in his petition.