‘Singur Andolan Local’ train can’t travel beyond Singur: Min protests on tracks

Kolkata: A local train that was scheduled to travel to Tarakeshwar via Singur from Howrah with effect from January 1 morning had to return to Howrah from Singur station due to agitation by a section of local people led by minister in-charge of Agricultural Marketing department, Becharam Manna.

Manna, who is also an MLA of Haripal, handed over a deputation to the station manager after two hours of protest and threatened further agitation if the Railways did not roll back their decision of running the train beyond Singur.

Manna along with the agitators started their agitation from around 6.30 am and demanded that the train named as ‘Singur Andolan Local’ should not travel beyond Singur. Manna’s wife Karabi who is an MLA from Singur was also present.

The train reached platform 1 of Singur station at 6.45 am. As per revised schedule of the Eastern Railways, it was slated to go further and terminate at Tarakeshwar. However, the agitators stood in front of the train and did not allow it to proceed further. “The emotions of the people of Singur are associated with this particular local train known as ‘Singur Andolan’. Hence, the Railways should roll back from its decision of extending the same upto Tarakeshwar. We will not stop any other train but this train should not travel beyond Singur,” said Manna.

Finally, the train returned back to Howrah at around 8.12 am and the agitators lifted their programme. However, they have stated that they will stop the train again on Thursday if it travels further from Singur.

In 2009, when Mamata Banerjee was the Railway Minister she had started two local trains in the Howrah-Singur route as a mark of respect to the farmers who were part of the Singur movement. The first train reaches Singur at 6.30 am and leaves for Howrah at 8.12 am. The second reaches Singur at 8.15 pm and embarks on its return journey to Howrah at 9 pm.

The Railways had served a notice on Tuesday stating that one of the local trains that terminated at Singur will be extended to Haripal while the other one up to Tarakeswar. “The services have been extended considering the larger interest of the people. We will continue with the revised schedule till further orders,” said a spokesperson of the Eastern Railways.