Train services disrupted by large protest in West Bengal

A large-scale protest in West Bengal severely disrupted train services on April 11, forcing cancellations, diversions, and operational delays across the Farakka–Azimganj railway corridor. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Train services disrupted by protestors in Farakka-Azimganj

Thousands of protestors blocked the railway tracks near Dhulianganga and Nimtita stations, halting train services and straining the Eastern Railway network on April 11.

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Authorities reported the protest began at 2:46 p.m. and involved nearly 5,000 individuals. The agitation led to the diversion of four express trains and cancellation of two local passenger trains.

Eastern Railway confirms impact on train services

According to Eastern Railway, the Kamakhya–Puri Express was stranded near Dhulianganga station due to the blockage. Meanwhile, the 53434 Barharwa–Azimganj passenger train was stuck at Ballalpur because no alternative route was available.

Police and Railway Protection Force officers arrived to negotiate with demonstrators. However, the disruption continued for hours, causing delays and confusion among passengers.

Train services hit by infrastructure damage and diversions

Protestors also damaged gate number 43, further complicating the situation. While tracks remained physically intact, railway officials expressed concern over repeated service interruptions and passenger inconvenience.

Diptimoy Dutta, Eastern Railway’s CPRO, confirmed two trains were cancelled and two were short-terminated. He added that five services had to be rerouted via Rampurhat to maintain traffic flow.

Among the affected trains were the 13465 Howrah–Malda Town Intercity Express, 13141 Sealdah–New Alipurduar Teesta Torsa Express, and 13432 Balurghat–Nabadwip Dham Express. The 53029 Azimganj–Bhagalpur Passenger and 53435 Katwa–Azimganj Passenger were completely cancelled.

Eastern Railway condemned the non-railway-related blockade, warning it causes severe operational and scheduling challenges. The incident highlights the need for stricter protections to avoid service breakdowns due to civil unrest.

Authorities are investigating the protest’s cause and assessing damages. Meanwhile, affected routes are being gradually restored, but full recovery may take additional time depending on crowd dispersal and infrastructure inspections.

Source: www.livemint.com

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