The Hindu : Stir cripples BG works in State

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Friday, May 17, 2002

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Stir cripples BG works in State

By Ravi Reddy

DHARMABAD (Maharastra) MAY 16. The much-delayed BG works between Dharmabad and Nizamabad have suffered yet another blow with the Shiv Sena-backed agitators of this backward town in Nanded district of Maharashtra, about 50 km from Nizamabad headquarters, preventing transportation of concrete sleepers to various parts of Adilabad and Nizamabad districts for the last three days.

Due to the agitation by the Dharmabad Railway Sangarsh Samiti, led by the local Municipal chairman, S.B.Belkonikar of the Shiv Sena, the transportation of concrete sleepers brought from West Bengal has come to a standstill. The agitators are demanding that the South Central Railway authorities restart train services between the newly-completed Mudkhed-Dharmabad broad gauge line immediately. The Commissioner of Railway Safety has to inspect the newly laid rail track before giving clearance for the trains to be run on this route.

The SCR authorities had suspended passenger train services between Nizamabad and Mudkhed from December 1 last year to take up the gauge works. As per plan, the works were to be completed by March end till Dharmabad and by June upto Nizamabad. The works upto Dharmabad was completed by March end the train services are yet to commence. This delay has led to unrest among the people of this sleepy town, who were in the forefront demanding sufficient funds for early completion of the works between 230 km Mudkhed- Nizamabad-Bollarum.

With the SCR officials yet to give any particular date for start of the services, the restive agitators backed by Dharmabad-based Journalists Association and other trade union organisations have restored to blockade of the concrete sleepers.

The result has left more than 40,000 concrete sleepers lying at various stations between Mudkhed to Dharmabad for the past four days. Because of the stir, the trucks requisitioned to transport the sleepers to different stations enroute Nizamabad are stopped at Dharmabad.

The belligerence on the part of the Maharashtra agitators has caused severe disruption of works between Dharmabad and Nizamabad railway stations. The temple town of Basar in Adilabad district about 14 km from here is also affected by the agitation. Work was apace between Dharmabad and Nizamabad for the last few days but the situation took a sudden turn when the Sangarsh Samiti, decided to launch agitation demanding early restoration of the trains.

The founder President of the Nizamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, P.R.Somani, met the agitators today at Dharmabad and tried to persuade them to lift the blockade but to no avail. He felt that it was not right on the part of the agitators to disrupt works to achieve their goal.

The Nizamabad MLA, D.Srinivas and the NCCI President, D.Gautam and Vice-President, Rajiv Puri, in separate statements appealed to the agitators to reconsider their decision.

The Municipal Chairman, Belkonikar, told The Hindu, here on Thursday that the agitators were determined to prevent transportation of the sleepers unless the authorities announced the date for commencement of the services.

He said the SCR officials should not forget the agitation launched by the people of the town demanding sufficient funds for the gauge works. He lamented that the officials responded only when the situation took a serious turn.

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Stir cripples BG works in State