Bhubaneswar: Scores of passengers were left stranded at Bhubaneswar railway station after no trains arrived at the platforms for nearly 4 hours
According to reports, train services were temporarily suspended between Bhubaneswar and Mancheswar railway stations from 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. on Sunday. As no train arrived at the station for 4 hours, thousands of commuters started assuming that the delay was due to some major disaster.
When asked an officer of the East Coast Railway, said that the much-awaited Khurda Road-Barang 3rd railway line is about to become operational. Track laying work has been completed in all areas. The work of the third railway line between the remaining Bhubaneswar-Mancheswar stations has now reached its final stage.
The 6.4 km long railway line has been completed and the signalling system is being re-arranged at the Bhubaneswar railway station. As the work is going on on a wartime basis, the train movement at Bhubaneswar station will be affected till the 30th of August.
Now, many trains depart from Khurda Road and New Bhubaneswar railway stations instead of Bhubaneswar railway station. East Coast Railway informed the 3rd line will be operational from next 30th of August and the issue of train congestion between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar will be solved.
The Khurda Road-Barang railway line is 35 km long. When this railway line becomes operational, the issue of train movement between Cuttack and Khurda Road on the Howrah-Chennai main railway line will be eliminated. Now two lines of trains are running between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. If a train halts midway due to any reason, the movements of other trains are affected and passengers are stranded for hours. After this railway line becomes functional, there will be no more such issues.
The Khurda Road-Barang railway line, built at a cost of Rs 480 crore, was delayed due to the fly-over bridge near Vani Vihar. Now, that the problem has been sorted out with the completion of a new flyover, the other works are now going on on a wartime basis. The verification process of the track has been completed. Signalling and interlocking of lines are now underway. The target is to complete the entire work in 4 to 5 days.
On the other hand, the stations of some trains departing or stopping at Bhubaneswar station have been changed as this 35 km railway line is to be made operational.
Till 29th Bhubaneswar-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express will operate from New Bhubaneswar railway station instead of Bhubaneswar railway station.
Similarly Rourkela-Bhubaneswar Intercity, Bhubaneswar-Valsad Express will run from New Bhubaneswar Railway Station.
“16 trains will depart from Khurd Road station instead of Bhubaneswar railway station,” East Coast Railway had said.
