Mamata concerned over N Bengal flood situation

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed concern about the flood situation across the country and tweeted that her government was monitoring the situation round the clock for relief and rescue operations. Seven districts in North Bengal were cut off from the rest of the state as roads and railway tracks got inundated following heavy rain.

"We are concerned about the flood situation across the country. Earlier floods had affected south Bengal. Now, north Bengal is also affected. We are monitoring the situation 24X7 for relief and rescue operations," Banerjee tweeted.

All the trains originating from Howrah, Sealdah and Kolkata stations were cancelled as the Kishanganj railway station remained in more than waist deep water even on Monday. Similarly, trains from New Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar bound for the city were also suspended. The trains cancelled included Howrah-Guwahati Saraighat Express, Sealdah-New Alipurduar Teesta Torsa Express, Howrah-Dibrugarh Kamrup Express, Sealdah-New Cooch Behar Uttarbanga Express, Sealdah-Alipurduar Kanchankanya Express, Sealdah-New Jalpaiguri Darjeeling Mail, Sealdah-New Alipurduar Padatik Express and Kolkata-Radhikapur Express.

"Tracks are under water at several places in Katihar and Alipurduar divisions of the Northeast Frontier Railway in Bihar and Bengal. Tracks were damaged at as many as 12 locations. Seven of these were repaired and services restored," said Pranav Jyoti Sharma, chief public relations officer, North Frontier Railway.

The North Bengal Surface Transport Corporation (NBSTC) cancelled all its buses bound for Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Malda and Murshidabad districts " It is impossible to ply buses beyond Birbhum district as this may endanger the lives of passengers. Parts of National Highway 34 that connects Kolkata with Dalkhola remained inundated. Bus services between Falakata and Alipurduar were suspended after a culvert on the road that connects these towns collapsed," an NBSTC official said.

Rivers in Cooch Behar and Murshidabad were flowing well above the danger mark as district officials said that nearly three lakh people were marooned in these two districts.

Life in Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and the plains in Darjeeling district continued to be affected with rivers Kaljani and Teesta overflowing. The situation got worse after water was released from the Tilpara barrage.

Eastern Railway officials are still in the dark when services would resume. "The tracks will be inspected once the water recedes. After that we will be able to say whether trains can be run safely," said an Eastern Railway official.

The NF Railway further declared that Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Shatabdi Express, Kolkata-Haldibari Intercity Express, Howrah-Balurghat Express, Kolkata – Balurghat Express and Sealdah-Guwahati Kanchanjunga Express will also remain suspended on Tuesday. Kolkata-Jogbani Express leaving Kolkata station on Monday at 8.55 pm will be short terminated at Simraha and remain cancelled between Simraha and Jogbani.