Baisinga: Jugpura passenger halt (PH) on Rupsa-Bangiriposi railway line under East Coast Railway near Baisinga town in Mayurbhanj district has no end to its issues.
Despite being one of the oldest PHs in the region, is yet to be upgraded to a station. It also does not have a platform. As a result, patients, children and women often face issues while getting into trains. Accidents often take place during ingress and egress.
There are also no toilet and drinking water facilities at the PH. The passengers experience trouble for booking tickets as the ticket counter at the PH remains closed since March 20. Covid-19 is said to be the reason. While some passengers buy tickets online, some others are forced to travel without tickets.
Around 30,000 people of nearby six panchayats and the businessmen of Badasahi block depend on this PH.
Realising the issues, a delegation of BJP had been to Delhi July 25, 2019 and discussed the problems of Jugpura PH with the then Railway Minister Piyush Goyal. They had also submitted a memorandum to the minister.
Two years have since passed but nothing has changed at the PH. Local hold political leaders responsible for the deplorable condition of an important PH like Jugpura.
Senior Congress leader Raghunath Rout said his party will make the problems at the PH an election issues during the coming panchayat polls.
When contacted local MLA Sanatan Bijuli informed that the railway divisional manager had informed him about the Ministry of Railway having given green signaled for a platform at Jugpura PH and made a budgetary allocation for the same last year. “I don’t have any knowledge as to why the work has not been started as yet. I will discuss with the higher officials to find out the reasons behind it and take steps for early commencement of work,” he added.
PNN