RAILWAY SAMACHAR

Angry commuters block railway traffic in Mumbai

Mumbai : February : Protesting commuters demanding better train services blocked suburban railway traffic on the western sector in Mumbai Wednesday causing inconvenience to hundreds of thousands of daily travellers. Several trains were either delayed or cancelled, according to a Western Railway spokesperson. The protests were triggered during the morning peak hour when alocal train was cancelled due to a technical snag causing commutersto react angrily, the spokesperson said. As a result nearly a million office-goers, students and others were stranded, with many preferring to take the day off. "Even before the alternative service could be announced, a group of commuters squatted or lay on the tracks, preventing train movement. The agitation is still continuing," the spokesman told 'Railway Samachar'. He said the services are operated between Churchgate-Andheri on the southern side and between Virar-Bhayander on the northern side. At least five long-distance trains, leaving Mumbai and Bandra Terminus, have also been cancelled. Similarly, other long distance trains scheduled to arrive here havebeen stopped at various locations like Virar, Surat, Dahanu, and Palghar. Until the situation normalises, the Western Railway won't be able toplan out the departure of Wednesday's Delhi-bound Rajdhani Expressand August Kranti Rajdhani Express and other trains, the spokesperson said. A commuter Z. Hussain, wanting to go to his office in Worli, was stranded for over two hours at the Borivali station platform. "There are huge crowds on all the eight platforms, outside therailway stations on the east and west and even on all the bridges. It is difficult to even move around, and the police have beendeployed in full force," Hussain told 'Railway Samachar'. He added that even the roads were jammed with traffic in all directions, inconveniencing the people, especially women andchildren.

Sonia Gandhi to lay foundation

of dedicated freight corridor

Dehri-On-Sone : UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will lay the foundation of the long-awaited dedicated freight corridor between Kolkata and Ludhiana at Dalmianagar near here on February 10. This was informed here today by Union Minister and local MP Kanti Singh and Railway Board member Illius Hussain after inspecting the site of the ceremony. They said the proposed Rs 22,000 crore project was scheduled to be completed by 2013, adding Railway Minister Lalu Prasad would bepresent on the occasion as the Railways would play an important role in timely completion of the 1200 km long corridor. Later, Ms Gandhi would address a public meeting, they said.