BY TC News Desk
Agartala, August 25, 2023: The CITU state committee has once again raised concerns about the state of railway services in Tripura. Shankar Prasad Datta, the General Secretary of the State Committee of the CITU in a press conference at the CITU state office on Friday, highlighting serious deficiencies in the state’s rail services.
Datta asserted that the railway services in the state have deteriorated significantly, emphasizing several key issues. Notably, the authorities at Agartala railway station were informed about the acute shortage of drinking water on express and demo trains operating from the state. Additionally, restroom facilities were described as unusable, and the stench emanating from the railway toilets made it unbearable to stand in the train compartments.
The authorities have been urged to take immediate corrective action in response to these issues, as passengers who pay for rail travel deserve better conditions. Datta also pointed out that express trains with aging coaches continue to operate from Agartala to various states across the country, emphasizing the need to improve the quality of these compartments. He humorously remarked that it seemed as if all the old railway coaches had been sent to Tripura.
The delegation further demanded the replacement of these aging coaches. The issue of hawkers not being allowed to board trains was also addressed, with a request for reconsideration, as hawkers often provide food items to railway passengers.
In addition to these concerns, there has been a call for an increase in the number of trains to better serve passengers. Questions were raised about the delay in starting the demo rail service from Agartala to Sabroom, with an assurance that it will commence from August 29.
During the press conference, he also revealed that discussions had taken place regarding rail services at the Akhaura border. While the railway from Nishchintapur to Akhaura is expected to start this year, there appears to be no immediate prospect for launching railway services from Agartala.
Another demand raised was the expansion of railway ticket counters to accommodate the needs of the many passengers who currently rely on a limited number of counters.
Datta also said that a delegation will meet the Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on August 30, where a 16-point charter of demands, including a 20 percent puja bonus for tea workers and the immediate disbursement of social allowances to those who have not received them for the past four months, will be presented.
Leader Panchali Bhattacharjee and Samar Chakraborty were also present at the press conference to address these critical issues.
