EMU local stops at thorough at angering passengers; over 20 trains delayed

Passengers blocked rail traffic at Dasnagar station Thursday after an EMU local was put on the through line, instead of the designated platform inconveniencing the passengers, a South Eastern Railway (SER) spokesman said. "Through line" is a track reserved for passing galopping trains with no platforms at its sides.

At least 18 EMU locals and three express trains were delayed owing to the blockade at Dasnagar in the Howrah- Kharagpur section of the SER, spokesman Sanjay Ghosh said. The local train was inadvertently guided to the through line by the Dasnagar station master assuming it to be a galloping train, while actually the train was scheduled to stop there, Ghosh said.

The EMU stopped there, but since there were no platforms on either side the track, the passengers who were to alight at Dasnagar had to jump on the ground from compartments. The incident led to a protest by passengers who blocked the tracks for two and a half hours from 8.25 am, he said. The blockade was lifted at 10.58 am following talks with the agitators, he said. An inquiry has been initiated into the matter, Ghosh said.