Nitish's train too runs late

JAMSHEDPUR: Nothing special about it. Nitish Kumar''s “special train� made an ordinary journey from the Tatanagar railway station here on Sunday. And like most of the trains of the Indian Railways, notorious for running behind schedule, the “special train�, which had the minister''s salon and air-conditioned coaches for officials attached with it, too ran late for hours.
The railway authorities had fitted electric engines at both the ends of the “special train�.But the engines were of little help. For, the railway minister himself was late.
Children from railway schools along with officials, guests and newsmen had to wait for close to three hours as Kumar busied himself with “breakfast meeting� with “disgruntled� BJP leader Shailendra Mahato and his wife. Mahato denied discussing “politics� and insisted it was a “simple breakfast for everyone�.
After an hour-long breakfast, Kumar drove to address a congregation of Sikhs at a local gurdwara in the Steel City. Thereafter, he stopped at his relative''s place in Adityapur near here before finally arriving at the station.
If the delay was not enough, Samata Party leaders forcibly “hijacked� the chair car reserved for the newsmen accompanying the minister for the inauguration of a new passenger halt at Kanimahuli. And no sooner did the “special� train start to move than angry newsmen pulled the chain and brought it to a halt.
The agitated newsmen got down from the train in protest. Senior railway officials intervened to mollify them and ensure that the “special train� commences its onward journey.
Kumar, on his part, appeared to have remained unfazed. After all, delays, unauthorised passengers and chain pulling are not too uncommon, particularly in his home state.