Kolkata: Starting June 4, nine MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) services operating between Sealdah/Kolkata and Lalgola will be bifurcated into two separate segments, the Eastern Railway (ER) has announced. The trains will now run from Sealdah or Kolkata to Krishnanagar, and then from Krishnanagar to Lalgola, and vice versa. According to sources, the decision follows a series of passenger complaints regarding discomfort during the long journey, as MEMU services were being operated with EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) rakes due to a shortage of MEMU rakes. These EMU rakes, which lack essential amenities typically found in MEMU trains, such as toilets, have caused considerable inconvenience, particularly for elderly and female passengers, many of whom have submitted grievances to railway authorities.
To address the issue and improve service efficiency, ER has decided to convert 11 existing MEMU services into EMU services, including the bifurcation of the nine aforementioned services. Under the revised plan, trains from both directions will halt at Krishnanagar for a scheduled break before resuming their journeys under new train numbers. The stoppage duration will range from 19 to 32 minutes, allowing passengers to access station facilities such as toilets and take a short break. “This restructuring has been planned to ease congestion, improve punctuality, and facilitate better fleet utilisation,” ER said in a statement. Officials of the Sealdah Division added that the break at Krishnanagar is aimed at providing better sanitation infrastructure, particularly benefiting women, elderly passengers, and children. In addition, train numbers 63111 Sealdah–Ranaghat MEMU and 63133 Ranaghat–Lalgola MEMU will now operate as EMU local trains with new numbers.