Agitated jute mill workers block rail tracks for 12 hrs

Train services were disrupted for nearly 12 hours today as hundreds of irate jute mill workers blocked railway tracks at Titagarh station in Eastern Railway's Sealdah division to demand reopening of their mill.
Train services resumed after the blockade, which began early morning, was finally lifted in the evening at 7:22 PM following several rounds of negotiation between government authorities and the agitators.
Passengers had a harrowing time as train services in the Dum Dum Jn-Naihati section of Sealdah division were disrupted when workers obstructed train movement from 8.20 AM demanding reopening of the jute mill where they worked.
Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP) and local civil officials present at the site tried to remove the obstruction in the morning, Eastern Railway (ER) sources said.

The sources said 31 pairs of EMU local trains had to be cancelled, four pairs of MEMU local trains had to be either cancelled or short-terminated while 20 other EMU locals were detained en route.
Three long distance trains -- Sealdah-Jaynagar Gangasagar Express (up), Teesta Torsa Express (up) and Sealdah-Ballia Express were diverted via Dankuni, they said.

Three other long distance trains - Gorakhpur-Kolkata Purbanchal Express (down), Lalgola-Sealdah Bhagirathi Express and Lalquila Express (down) had to be detained enroute, while Sitamari- Kolkata Express (down) had to be diverted via Dankuni and Asansol-Sealdah Intercity Express (down) was short terminated at Bandel.

Passenger Special trains were being run on Sealdah-Sodepur section and Barrackpore-Ranaghat-Krishnagar section for the convenience of stranded passengers, the sources said.
The 15047 Up Kolkata-Gorakhpur Purvanchal Express scheduled to leave Kolkata station at 14:30 hrs today, has been rescheduled to leave Kolkata station at 7:40 hrs tomorrow, the sources added.