Bihar floods affect rail traffic, movement of trains suspended on a section

Hajipur (Bihar), July 28 (PTI): Rail traffic has been suspended on Darbhanga-Samastipur section in Bihar on account of floods, resulting in cancellation, short termination and diversion of more than a dozen trains on Sunday, the East Central Railway headquarters here said.

“At bridge no. 16 near Hayaghat section in Samastipur-Darbhanga section, water level has crossed the danger mark. Hence, train movement is being suspended on this section,” ECR Chief Public Relations Officer Rajesh Kumar said in a statement.

He said, this has led to cancellation of four passenger trains, in addition to the Jaynagar-Patna Intercity Express.

Besides, trains like Darbhanga-New Delhi Sampark Kranti Express, Raxaul-Hyderabad Express, Ahmedabad-Darbhanga Jansadharan Express, Jaynagar-Amritsar Express and Kolkata- Sitamarhi Express are being plied through alternative routes, the CPRO said.

Eight mail/express trains and three passenger trains are also being short terminated, he added.

Hayaghat falls under Darbhanga district, which had till Saturday reported 12 casualties on account of floods and where, as per the state disaster management department, 13.85 lakh people have been hit by the calamity.

This is the second instance of rail traffic being disrupted in Bihar on account of the flash floods which have been ravaging the state in the aftermath of torrential rainfall in catchment areas of Nepal earlier this month.

Earlier, movement of trains on the Sitamarhi-Raxaul section had been similarly suspended on July 13 and restored on July 16.