After cancellations, train delays due to Balasore accident hit commuters in Bengaluru

After cancellations, train delays due to Balasore accident hit commuters in Bengaluru

Movement of passenger trains, especially from Bengaluru to Bihar and West Bengal, has been affected in the wake of the recent train accident in Odisha’s Balasore.

Long queues were seen at Sri M Visvesvaraya Terminus (SMVT) in Bengaluru during the morning hours on Sunday. Delays of several trains due during the day led to crowding at various platforms of the SMVT.

Bunty Kumar, 28, a labourer from Bhagalpur, Bihar was huddled with 11 of his relatives on platform one of the railway station. Of the 12, six were kids. The Bengaluru-Bhagalpur Anga Express was among the trains delayed due to the gruesome accident, leaving the family heading back to their native place stranded.

“We were working as labourers in Yelahanka. Our train 12253 was cancelled yesterday (Saturday). Today, we are waiting for a train to head to Patna. I do not know when we will get a train. The one scheduled to head to Bihar is already delayed by more than two hours,” Bunty told The Indian Express.

Heading towards Cooch Behar in West Bengal was a group of 10 labourers who were employed in the Raichur district for anganwadi repair works. “We were awaiting the Bengaluru-Guwahati Express. That train will not run. We will now have to go through Bihar and are yet to get a ticket,” said Atul Debnath.

For him, the wait to board a train will be longer as the train they expect to head home on is only scheduled for Monday. “We came yesterday. If our workplace was closer, we could have returned there till the train situation eased. Now, we have no alternative but to wait till tomorrow (Monday) at the railway station,” he said.

Golem Sarwar, who is waiting for a train to Cuttack, said though they were forced to sleep at the railway station, food and water arrangements were made for them which eased their ordeal. “The railway station was literally filled with people yesterday (Saturday). There was hardly any space to walk as people sleeping had occupied almost every corner of the main reception area,” he said.

A railway official, who was assisting passengers at a help desk set up at SMVT, said that three trains were cancelled from the station Saturday leading to the pile-up of passengers. “Today, trains are moving. But there are delays,” he said.

According to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office, the state government has provided assistance to more than 1,500 labourers stranded at the station due to cancellations and delays of various trains.