ROURKELA: Train services along the busy Howrah-Mumbai mail line within the Chakradharpur Division of South Eastern Railway (SER) were severely impacted on Monday as villagers staged a protest at Bisra station in Sundargarh district. They demanded the resumption of stoppages for a range of passenger trains.
However, services were resumed nearly nine hours later, around 3.30 pm, following assurances from SER authorities to address their grievances within three days.
As a result of the track blockade, several trains including Rourkela-Chakradharpur-Rourkela Special, Chakradharpur-Rourkela-Chakradharpur Special, and Tatanagar-Itwari Express trains had to be cancelled.
Eight trains were diverted in alternative routes while additionally, the 22862 Kantabanji-Howrah Express and the 12871 Howrah-Titlagarh Express had to be short-terminated.
The protesters under the Bisra Public Action Committee joined by Rourkela unit BJD president Halu Mundari and former MLA of Birmitrapur George Tirkey, began their demonstration by blocking the tracks at 6.45 a.m. They demanded stoppages for three trains at Bisra station, including the Tata-Itwari Passenger train and the superfast Ispat Express as was the schedule in pre-Covid days.