Jharsuguda:�Jharsuguda Chamber of Commerce & Industries, has called for a�12-hour�Jharsuguda�Bandh�on Thursday in protest of railway’s decision to run the Tri-weekly Hirakud Express train through Jharsuguda Road railway station instead of Jharsuguda junction Main Station.
“After learning that �Vishakhapatnam – Amritsar Hirakud Express (18507/18508), will not come to Jharsuguda Station from 24th July and will get diverted from Jharsuguda Road railway station as the station lacks basic facilities for the passengers.� We had written to Jharsuguda Dist. Administration to intervene in the decision or else we would restore to Jharsuguda�Bandh�and Rail Roko. In this regard, a meeting was also called by the Jharsuguda Dist. Administration and railway officials but the meeting was not fruitful. So, we will stage a Jharsuguda�Bandh�and Rail Roko on Thursday from 9 a.m. onwards till our demands are met.” said Hiralokchandani, president, Jharsuguda Chamber of Commerce & Industries.
“Jharsuguda Chamber of Commerce had given a notice regarding their demands for Jharsuguda�Bandh�in protest of diversion of tri-weekly Hirakud Express train from Jharsuguda Road Railway Station. Following which we had called a meeting to stop Rail Roko but the members of the association were adamant to do a Rail Roko till their demands were met. The railway authorities present at the meeting told that they would intimate this to their higher authorities as the decision has to be taken by them.” Said Jharsuguda Dist. Collector Bibhuti Bhusan Pattnaik
Last year, in the month of September, Railways had announced the diversion of the Tri-weekly Hirakud Express from Jharsuguda Road station and was protested by the local residents citing non-availability of security and basic facilities. Subsequently, the rail authorities had differed the decision of diverting�Hirakud Express till further notice.
