Movement of goods trains in Kolhan region of Jharkhand came to a grinding halt on Sunday as BJP workers resorted to blockades to prevent transportation of minerals demanding immediate resumption of passenger trains movement.
Led by BJP state unit president Dineshanand Goswami and East Singhbhum district committee president Raj Kumar Srivastav, hundreds of BJP activists gathered at Tatanagar station and squatted on rail tracks to block movement of goods trains in support of their demand.
Movement of night passenger trains have remained suspended in Kharagpur-Tata-Rourkela section for over 18 months.
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BJP had already announced a four-hour economic blockade in Kolhan comprising of mineral-abundance East and West Singhbhum and Saraikela-Kharswan district demanding immediate running of passenger trains during night in these section on Howrah-Mumbai main route.
A similar blockade have also been organised in 14 different stations affected by continued suspension of night train services including Ghatsila, Rajkharswan, Chakradharpur, Adityapur, where goods trains were stopped by the BJP activists, said Anil Modi, spokesman of BJP district committee here.
Railway sources said BJP activists have stopped goods trains at Tatanagar, Adityapur and Rajkharswan under Chakradharpur division of South Eastern Railway since 9 am today.
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Sources expressed apprehension that long-distance passenger trains including Mumbai-Howrah Geetanjali Express, Kurla-Howrah Express etc may get affected.
“We have initiated steps to ensure that the main track should remain clear for smooth running of passenger trains,” railway sources said.
Addressing party workers at Tatanagar, Goswami said that besides Jharkhand, states like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Orissa were also affected by Naxalism but nowhere passenger trains were suspended.