B.Sridhar | TNN
Jamshedpur: In a move to improve punctuality of passenger trains, Chakradharpur division of South-Eastern Railway (SER) has appointed Abir Mishra as Public Relations Inspector (PRI) at Tatanagar railway station on a permanent basis.
According to a notification issued on Friday by divisional railway manager (DRM) Tarun Huria, Mishra will monitor passenger train movements and provide regular briefings on daily arrivals and departures from Tatanagar. He will oversee operations across the Kharagpur–Tatanagar, Chakradharpur–Tatanagar and Chandil–Tatanagar sections to ensure that freight traffic does not disrupt passenger services.
He will also keep a close watch on MEMU services operating to and from Tatanagar and inform passengers and associations about delays or disruptions. Additionally, the PRI will collect public feedback and grievances and coordinate with railway officials for their swift resolution.
The decision follows SER general manager Anil Kumar Jain’s visit to Chakradharpur division on May 27, when he announced the posting of a PRI at Tatanagar. The move came after sustained demands by the Rail Yatri Sangharsh Samiti (RYSS), which has been campaigning since April 7 for timely running of passenger trains.
The GM had also categorically stated that passenger trains would no longer be held up for long hours to clear freight traffic.
Jamshedpur (West) MLA and RYSS head Saryu Roy welcomed the move. “The GM has been sincere in acknowledging the plight of passengers enduring enormous hardship and woes due to long passenger train delays caused by prioritising freight trains,” he said adding that he would monitor operations over the next 10 days.