The fire had damaged the RRI room from where the signals and crossings of trains are managed
Representational image
Kochi: Getting tickets to destinations like New Delhi, Indore and Bilaspur is turning out to be a Herculean task these days as several key trains, including Kerala Express and Mangala Express are getting cancelled on a regular basis. Train movements have been affected nationwide ever since a fire broke out at the Route-Relay Interlocking cabin at Itarsi railway junction in Madhya Pradesh on June 17.
However, trains from the state are affected the worst as at least 53 train services to the state capital were disrupted, including 15 cancellations so far. The commuting woes would intensity in the coming days as the railways have announced further cancellations till July 27 that include key trains from the state.
“In this week itself, New Delhi- bound Kerala Express will remain cancelled on July 17 and July 20 while the Mangala Express on July 18 and July 20 have been cancelled. Similar is the case with Raptisagar Express bound for Indore,” a railway official said.
The Itarsi station is one of the biggest railway junctions and is located at the intersection of the East-West and North-South railway lines, handling over 100 pairs of trains daily.
The fire had damaged the RRI room from where the signals and crossings of trains are managed. Though the railways have set up Temporary Signal Panel, only about 110 trains could be handled now daily.
“Both these trains are daily depended on by most of the commuters to New Delhi. Their frequent cancellations are jeopardising the plans of hundreds of commuters from the state. Festive season is nearby and unless the issue is rectified, getting a ticket to northern destinations would be a near-impossible task,” said Arvind Balachandran, hailing from Neyyatinkara and working in New Delhi.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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