Commuters bear brunt of rail-road block

KOLKATA: With the agitation and rail blockade continuing for most part of Sunday, and road blockade entering the sixth day, commuters, traders, students and patients’ relatives had a harrowing time. The blockades were organised by Kudmi organisations demanding Scheduled Tribe status.
On Sunday, more than 95 trains were cancelled, leaving thousands stranded.Long-distance passenger buses and goods transport also got stuck on several national highway stretches.

Aniruddha Ghosh, a student from Jamshedpur who was to take JEE Mains at a Kolkata centre on April 6, missed it. Sanjay Narang, an administrator of a management school near Jamshedpur, was scheduled to catch a flight to Mumbai from Kolkata, but missed it as his train got stuck near Tatanagar. He then tried to take a car. “But it was worse. The agitation left the roads completely choked,” he said. Sourav De, a Kolkata-based film-maker associated with Jharkhand Film Festival had his ticket cancelled thrice, and has now lost hope of visiting Jamshedpur. “I need to sit with the festival organisers to fine-tune things. My work has been jeopardised by the agitators and I was shocked to see complete absence of administration which allowed them a free run,” he said.
Rail and road connectivity between Bengal and other states have been hit over the last five days. “Many trucks with perishables have been stuck for days. They will bring in rotten things,” said Sajal Ghosh, secretary, Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators’ Association.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on NH-6, triggering traffic snarls even on adjoining roads in West Midnapore and Jhargram.
“The agitation and rail blockade at Kustaur of South Eastern Railway since April 5 was withdrawn at 11.45am on Sunday. The agitation at Khemasuli station of Kharagpur Division continued till late Sunday evening. Agitation has also started at Kotshila station in Adra Division from 12.20pm,” an SER statement said.
Ajit Prasad Mahato, leader of the Adivasi Kurmi Samaj at Purulia, on Sunday, announced suspending the agitation after five days.
On Sunday, a letter from Nabanna reached the Adivasi Kurmi Samaj asking leaders to meet chief secretary H K Dwivedi on April 10. “We will discuss among ourselves to decide the course of action,” said Mahato.
At Jhargram, Birendranath Mahato, president of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj, said the agitation will continue till their demand is met. Four agitating bodies have also decided to take cycle rallies to the Cultural Research Institute office in Kolkata. Kurmi Samaj Paschimbanga leader Rajesh Mahato said roads will be open between 10am and 3pm, and 1am and 6am.
(Inputs from Sujoy Khanra in W Midnapore & Tanuka Singh Deo in Purulia)