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Rlys to halt services of Teesta Torsa express from Dec 1 to Feb 28

Rlys to halt services of Teesta Torsa express from Dec 1 to Feb 28
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KOLKATA: The tourism industry in the state is apprehending a decline in the footfall of tourists to Alipurduar with the Railways deciding to temporarily stall services of Teesta Torsa express from December 1 to February 28, 2022.

Teesta Torsa express is one of the three trains to Alipurduar from Sealdah station. It travels over Nabadwip, Azimganj, Farakka in Murshidabad and is one of the best in providing connectivity between North Bengal and South Bengal.

"December – January is the peak season for travelling and Alipurduar, known for its scenic beauty and forest cover, is one of the favourite destinations. Tourists will be greatly inconvenienced with the withdrawal of these train services as it is difficult for people to travel in flight which is quite expensive. Moreover, this train that leaves Sealdah in the afternoon and reaches early in the morning gives the option to tourists to spend the whole day in Alipurduar," rued Nilanjan Basu of Khorlo Tours & Travels.

The other two trains – Uttarbanga express and Kanchankanya Express departs from Sealdah in the evening and reaches Alipurduar later in the day. The Railways have attributed dense fog in the winter months in the early morning for stalling

the services.

"This government is not a development oriented one. Rather than developing technology which enables a train to travel in foggy conditions, they are stopping train services. This is unfortunate," Goutam Deb, TMC leader and former state Tourism minister said.

BJP MLA from Alipurduar Suman Kanjilal has agreed with the concerns of the tourism industry and has appealed to the Eastern Railways not to stop services for such a long period of time.

"I have already asked the officials concerned to look into the matter and review the decision if possible. However, the safety of the passengers is our top priority," a senior official of Eastern Railways said.

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