Most of the trains originating from Ranchi are likely to be restored soon as a proposal to restart them has already been sent to the Railway Board slightly diverting their routes or making them short terminate from their original destinations. Railway officials said the decision over the proposals is likely to be taken within a day or two.
“A proposal of reinstating seven trains, originating from Ranchi, have been sent to the Railway Board slightly diverting them through Gomoh or Telgarhia More (TT line) which might also be short terminated,” said a senior Railway official. Except the two trains – Kamakhya Express and Ranchi-Jainagar Express, which might be short terminated, permission for other five trains, are likely to be granted by the Railway Board, he added.
As many as 18 mail, express and passenger trains, including Dhanbad-Chandrapura - Muri passenger train, passing through the route, the affordable commuting lifeline for thousands in the area, were cancelled.
Notably, only 14 km out of the 34 km Dhanbad-Chandrapura segment under East Central Railway is affected, due to which the whole of 34 km stretch line has been shut.
Meanwhile, the visit of high-level committee to discuss the feasibility of diverting 18 trains cancelled due to the decision has been deferred.
The Board’s decision came after Chief Minister Raghubar Das met Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in New Delhi requesting him to take proper steps towards reviving the Dhanbad-Chandrapura rail line.
looking at the problems faced by the people affected by the decision, Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu also directed the Railway Board to further plan ways and means to ease the problem being faced in the movement of passenger and freight traffic in the region.
Prabhu stressed on an action plan be prepared and implemented in an expeditious manner for the benefit of the rail users.
In addition to that, RITES, an engineering consultancy company specialized in the field of transport infrastructure, has also been asked to undertake the feasibility study for diversion of track of affected portions only and submit a report at the earliest so that an appropriate strategy for creating new infrastructure will be prepared and implemented.