MSRSS demands resumption of DEMU passenger train service

A CORRESPONDENT

DOOMDOOMA: Makum - Saikhowa (Sadiya) Ralpath Surakhya Samity (MSRSS) demanded resumption of DEMU passenger train service in Makum - Dangri section which was totally closed down in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. They placed the demand through a memorandum submitted to the General Manager, North-East Frontier Railway (NF Railway) Anshul Gupta when the latter came on a visit to Tinsukia Division on Tuesday.

The running of the passenger train was totally closed from March 23, 2020 before imposition of the lockdown on the following day and its operation was not resumed even after phase wise resumption of short distance passenger train services elsewhere. This gave rise to great discontent among the commuters who comprise students, office goers and small traders, besides patients. Consequently, many organizations, including the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), launched agitation programmes in the past few months.

In a statement to the press, Dhiren Deka, secretary of MSRSS and a former member of DRUCC (Divisional Railway Users' Consultative Committee) and ZRUCC (Zonal Railway Users' Consultative Committee) said that they had urged the General Manager to reschedule the timing of the DEMU service as it was not at all satisfactory and to modify it as per demand of the general public. Further to improve the timing of the train, re-survey of the unwanted level crossings having least traffic movement was suggested so that unwanted detention of the train could be avoided. The memorandum further urged the railway authority to reopen the Doomdooma Railway station (established in 1885) with Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and to make provision for a halt station at Talap Balibazar area till the shifting of the present Railway Station from isolated site to Bazar area as per assurance given by the Deputy GM(G) vide his letter No. Z/97/G Memorandum dated 08.07.1999.

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