Visakhapatnam: cancellation of Samata express draws ire of rail commuters

Railway Minister announced that the train will be run with new modern LHB coaches from April 26

The cancellation 12807/08(Visakhapatnam-Nizamuddin-Visakhapatnam) Samata Express, which is supposed to have been run with a brand new modern Linke Hoffman Busch (LHB) rake from Tuesday, is drawing flak from rail users of Visakhapatnam region.

It may be recalled that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, during his visit to Malkangiri in Odisha on April 22, had announced that 12807 train will be provided with LHB coaches from Visakhapatnam with effect from April 26 and from Nizamuddin (12808 train) with effect from April 28.

Rail users were in an upbeat mood with 12803 Visakhapatnam-Hazrat Nizamuddin Swarnajayanthi bi-weekly express commencing its maiden journey with brand new LHB rake from Visakhapatnam Junction on April 25. They were expecting that Samata express would also run with LHB coaches from Tuesday.

‘Track modernisation works’

The railways announced at the eleventh hour on Monday that 12807/08, which runs for five days a week, is being cancelled till May 22 from Visakhapatnam and till May 24 from Nizamuddin. Samata express as well as many other trains were cancelled by South East Central Railway (SECR) to facilitate track modernisation works in that zone. The cancellation of this highly patronised train during the summer holidays, that too when alternative routes are available, is drawing flak from rail users.

They wonder why the railways had failed to plan the modernisation works during the pandemic, when most of the trains were already cancelled, to check the spread of the virus. Most long distance trains, which were revived after the decline in COVID-19 cases, are seeing tremendous rush of passengers in view of summer vacations and a majority of people remaining confined to their homes during the pandemic.

Rail users took to social media platforms to condemn the cancellation of Samata express after it was announced by the Railway Minister that it will run with new LHB coaches from Tuesday. The timing of the cancellation is also drawing their ire. Sensing the strong negative reactions from the public, the zonal authorities of East Coast Railway (E Co R) are said to written to the Railway Board seeking reconsideration of the decision on cancellation of the high patronised 12807/08 and running it in the normal route.

“As many as 200 trains passing through SECR have been cancelled to facilitate modernisation works. We are making all out efforts to impress upon the authorities concerned to reconsider the decision and allow Samata Express to be operated. I hope they will consider our request,” Divisional Railway Manager Anup Satpathy told The Hindu, when contacted on Tuesday evening.