Maligaon (Assam): Train services were severely disrupted on Wednesday after a rail blockade was organized at Jorai Railway Station in the Alipurduar Division by the Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association (GCPA).
The agitation began around 6:45 a.m., with over 5,000 protestors assembling at the station, blocking all rail lines and halting operations.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), in collaboration with state authorities, responded by deploying over 500 personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and local police to ensure public safety and prevent any untoward incidents.
On demand of Greater Coochbehar State, GCPA is currently doing a rail blockade at the Jorai Station. Multiple trains impacted. pic.twitter.com/DB47d5tn0T
— Sudhanidhi Bandyopadhyay (@SudhanidhiB) December 11, 2024
Blockade Forces Cancellation & Diversion Of Numerous Trains
The blockade forced the cancellation and diversion of numerous trains, causing significant inconvenience to passengers. Prominent trains were cancelled including the Vande Bharat Express (New Jalpaiguri-Guwahati) and the Bongaigaon-New Jalpaiguri Express.
Meanwhile, key services such as the Brahmaputra Mail, Kamrup Express, multiple Rajdhani Express trains, and Vivek Express were also diverted. Most of these trains were diverted via the Fakiragram-Golakganj-New Coochbehar route.
NFR Makes Alternative Travel Arrangements For Stranded Passengers
To alleviate the disruption, the NFR made alternative travel arrangements for stranded passengers. Buses and Tata Sumo vehicles were arranged to help commuters reach their destinations. Despite these efforts, many passengers faced delays and hardships due to the sudden disruption.
Buses being arranged by Alipurduar Division for facilitating passengers affected by the diversion of trains as a result of rail blockade by picketers at Jorai Railway station to travel from New Alipurduar to New Coochbehar. @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/kVU3Ux91yU
— Northeast Frontier Railway (@RailNf) December 11, 2024
In an official statement through their press release, the NFR expressed regret over the inconvenience caused by the protest and assured that every possible measure was being taken to manage the situation.
“The inconvenience caused to the passengers due to the action of the picketers is deeply regretted.”
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ’s editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
