Sealdah division cracks whip on pay and use toilets
Going stern over licensees violating norms with malpractices from passengers availing pay and use toilets, the Sealdah division of Eastern Railway has collected Rs 11,500 as penalty till now.
Hooghly BJP MP Locket Chatterjee has written to the Howrah Division of Eastern Railway urging it to run special trains for farmers between Tarakeswar to Howrah and Katwa and Howrah lines.
The actor-turned-politician, in her letter to the divisional railway manager of Howrah yesterday, has underscored that the ‘farmers and small vegetable traders who earn their living by transporting their daily produce from different stations in these two sections are using the roadways as normal train services are suspended.
This, according to the BJP MP, is increasing cost and consuming more time as farmers battle many difficulties in transporting their produce. “Since Howrah Division covers the above-mentioned districts where there is a huge production of vegetables, it is proposed to operate Krishak/Vendor Special service between Katwah-Howrah and Tarakeswar-Howrah sections.
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This will help the farmers/Krishak to carry their products by special trains on purchase of tickets,” she wrote. The Sealdah Division of Eastern Railway is now all set to operate full-fledged ‘Krishak Special’ trains for transporting agro and dairy products in two routes including Santipur and Sealdah and Gede and Sealdah.
Services of this kind are yet to be started in Howrah Division. According to sources, following huge demand from various sections, the Eastern Railway is now operating around 70 per cent of its local EMUs as staff special trains in Sealdah and Howrah divisions.
“The staff specials do have provisions for vendor coaches,” informed an official. “The farmer special local trains, in this division, therefore, are unlikely to be required. However, if there are demands, the division might consider taking a call on the subject,” added the official.
Chatterjee pointed out that large quantities of perishable items are being damaged, incurring huge losses to the farmers which is also depriving the cities and towns of fresh supplies and therefore urged the railway authorities to run at least one pair.
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