Tension erupted at Bamra railway station over not halting of express train despite promise. The agitators had locked the ticket counter and signal room of the station.
The Divisional Manager of the Chakradharpur Railway Division on Thursday issued a notification for the stoppage of all scheduled trains at Bamra railway station in Odisha’s Sambalpur district. The notification was issued in the wake of a ‘rail roko’ agitation demanding stoppage of all major trains passing through the railway station.
On Wednesday, three trains were cancelled and a few others diverted on the Mumbai-Howrah line due to the ‘rail roko’ agitation spearheaded by Bamra Rail Kriyanusthan Committee, which continued for around 11 hours from 6 am to 5 am. They had withdrawn the agitation after ADRM, Chakradharpur Division along with Sambalpur ADM, Ajambar Mohanty and other district-level officials promised permanent halt for four trains in two months and also gave a written assurance for the remaining train in 10 days, the secretary of the committee told the media.
Locals have been demanding halt of some trains at the railway station for a long time. In a memorandum submitted to the authorities concerned on February 3, they demanded stoppages of 12 trains at the local station. Some of these were withdrawn during the COVID pandemic. A similar protest was staged on March 30, 2022, over the issue.
“Please ensure to stop all scheduled stopping trains at Bamra station. Please announce accordingly,” Chakradharpur DRM Arun Jatoh Rathod said in a letter to the Manager of Bamra Railway Station.
The Azad Hind Express was also halted at the station.
