PATNA: Normal traffic was restored between Muktapur and Samastipur on Darbhanga-Samastipur route under the jurisdiction of East Central Railway (ECR) on Monday. Rail traffic on this route was suspended for about a fortnight due to floodwaters flowing above the danger mark at the rail bridge number 1 between Muktapur and Samastipur.
According to ECR chief public relations officer (CPRO) Rajesh Kumar, the decision was taken after receding of floodwaters. Samastipur divisional railway manager Ashok Maheshwari inspected the Samastipur-Darbhanga-Jayanagar route on Sunday, he said.
“The engineering and safety staff of the Samastipur division approved fitness of the tracks around 8.15am on Monday to restore normal traffic between Darbhanga and Samastipur,” the CPRO said, adding that at least 12 pairs of special passenger trains would now run again on the route.
Among the restored special passenger trains were Jayanagar-Barauni special passenger (05554), Samastipur-Darbhanga special (05589/05590), Amritsar-Jayanagar special (04674), Lokmanya Tilak Mumbai-Jayanagar special (01061/01062), Amritsar-Jayanagar special (04652/04649/04651) and Darbhanga-Secunerabad special train (07008), the CPRO said, adding that railways had withdrawn short-termination and diversion of several pairs of trains from Monday itself.
Railways will, however, carry on surveillance on the rail bridge and tracks along the bridge on the Muktapur-Samastipur route . “Railways has kept sand bags, stone chips and boulders in readiness at the site to check floodwaters gushing over rail tracks,” he said.
