Hazaribagh has become a centre of attraction these days for its railways tracks. About 10 days ago, few boys first noticed that a part of railway track of under construction Hazaribagh Barkakana line bends in the morning between 8 am and 11 am and comes so closer to each other as they are touching each other. After 3 pm the reverse process starts and by 7 pm they go back to their original places.
The village boys observed this phenomenon for some days and then informed about it to their family and other villagers. They too saw this peculiar process of the railway track and then the news spread in Hazaribagh. The site where it is going on everyday is in the Arraria forest area which is near to Baserasam village of Katkamdag block, about 20 km away from Hazaribagh town. For the last 4-5 days this place has turned into a new site of attraction and everyday a large number of people are visiting there to witness the rare event.
The hugging of Railway tracks has started a discussion between myths and science. The villagers say that in nearby villages it is a tradition that sheep is sacrificed before the 'Gram Devta' for the start of new work. We have advised the Railway men to do so but they refused. This is a result of that refusal.Some say that the railway track has been constructed after damaging the shelter of a cobra couple that is why the tracks are bending like snakes every day. People have started worshipping cobra couple, which has not yet been seen, at that site.
On the other hand people are trying to explain it scientifically but yet no one has come up with any concrete scientific reason. Some say that it is happening due to formation of magnetic field at that particular site because of changes going underground. Some are of opinion that it is due to presence of some magnetic or electric material in the rock on which the track has been laid down while some are linking it with metallurgy.
Deputy chief engineer of Railway Hazaribagh division Anil Prakash said that it is happening due to huge difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures. Actually Railway had laid down more than 2 km long track here and for safety purpose they welded the pieces of tracks with each others. The length of a piece of Railway track remains 13 meter. Gap is left between two pieces because in summer a piece enlarges by minimum 6mm to 6 cm.
Here neither gap has been left nor have clips been used. Nowadays the maximum temperature is about 30 - 32 degree Celsius while minimum 11-12 degrees. So in morning with the increase of temperature the length starts increasing and at that particular point the piece used is less tolerant than others so it is bending. This argument seems closer to truth as the parallel track also found curved at ends of 2.5 km long track.