PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Sept 22: The Kurmi community’s drive for ST status severely affected rail services in the South Eastern Railway zone for the third consecutive day today.
The agitated members of the Adivasi Kurmi Samaj continued their protest blocking railway tracks at various places including Kustaur and Nimdih railway stations of the Adra division,
Khemasuli and Bhanjpur stations of Kharagpur division and Aunlajori station of Chakradharpur division.
Over 20 passenger trains were cancelled today as the agitators demanded Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and inclusion of the Kurmali language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.
The agitation is affecting train services in Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha since September 20.
Some of the trains that were cancelled today are Tatanagar-Howrah-Steel Superfast Express, Howrah-Barbil-Howrah Janshatabdi Express, Howrah-Titlagarh-Kantabhanji Ispat Express, Asansol-Tatanagar-Express, Tatanagar-Danapur Express, Tatanagar-Kharagpur Passenger, Howrah-Mumbai Geetanjali Express, Tatanagar- Asansol MEMU Passenger and Howrah- Ghatshila Express.
Apart from this several long-distance trains including Howrah bound Azad Hind Express, Duronto Express and Mumbai LTT-Shalimar Express were running on the diverted route. Around 15 trains were short-terminated.
Sources said senior railway officials were camping at the site of the agitations and are coordinating with the state government.
SER officials said never before had such agitation spanning three days happened. The ‘rail roko’ agitation resulted in a loss to the tune of several crores to the railways.
Passengers were the worst sufferers. “I am unable to travel to Kolkata for the three days due to the disruption in train services. I need to go to Kolkata to see my ailing mother,” said Supriya Sen, a resident of Telco.
Another resident Abhishek Joshi said, “I was scheduled to board a flight to Delhi from Kolkata in the afternoon for an assignment yesterday. I have to reschedule everything now and try for a flight from Ranchi. I am trying to get a refund of my tickets from Tatanagar.”
Jharkhand Kurmi Vikas Morcha central president Sheetal Ohdar and spokesperson Om Prakash Mahto in a joint statement said their agitation would continue until their demands are met.
