Kendrapara: Goods train service to Kendrapara has started since July 24, 2020, but passenger train service still remains a dream for people of this coastal district. Repeated demands for plying of passenger trains in this district have fallen on deaf ears of the East Coast Railways (ECoR) even with an Odia at the helm of affairs as the Railway Minister.
As per reports, over 30 goods trains are operating on the HaridaspurParadip railway route every day. The railway route has been laid via Kendrapara. Goutam Behera, a resident of Deuli village under Pattamundai block, had earlier written a letter on behalf of Utkalmani Yubak Sangh to the ECoR recently regarding running of Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train in the district. In reply, DR Paul, the deputy chief general manager (operations) of ECoR, has stated that efforts are on to run a MEMU train from Paradip to Keonjhar.
However, there is lack of necessary infrastructure and a need for survey by the Commission of Railway Safety. According to Goutam, the first goods train was flagged off on the Haridaspur-Paradip broad gauge line via Kendrapara July 24, 2020. Nearly two and a half years have passed since then, but passenger train service on the route remains a pipe dream. It may be noted here that a proposal was moved in 1996-97 fiscal for construction of Haridaspur-Paradip broad gauge line.
However, the project hanged fire for many years. Various outfits had sent memorandums to the ECoR in the past seeking MEMU train service on the route. It was alleged that despite repeated reminders, no step was taken for MEMU train service.
However, people are keeping their fingers crossed over the ECoR’s assurance that after a survey of the existing infrastructure, MEMU train service will be considered. Congress leader Soumendra Prusty said that the party leaders had submitted a memorandum to the Union Railway Minister and the Governor in 2021 for MEMU train service on the route. Later, the party workers had staged an agitation over the demand November 9, 2021.
In 2020 when the pandemic was playing havoc across the globe, over 3 lakh migrant workers of the district had returned home with a lot of difficulty sans passenger train service. “Such a huge number of migrant workers do not have the luck to avail train service in their home district,” the Congress leader lamented. The people from this district, when venturing out, have to board trains from Paradip, Cuttack or Haridaspur railway stations.
Locals pointed out that with rail connectivity and passenger train service, the coastal district is expected to see a good scope of ushering in industrialisation. ECoR PRO, Nirakar Das said that necessary infrastructure needs to be put in place before running passenger trains. “Well-equipped stations and signal systems are vital for running of passenger trains,” he added.