Achi news desk-
GUWAHATI: Thousands of voters, especially migrant workers, who came from Kerala to vote in Assam Nagaon, Silchar and Karimganj constituencies during the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26 were affected due to the cancellation of trains by the North Eastern Railway (NFR).
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Many students and migrant workers staying in Kerala and other southern Indian cities traveled by train to be in time to vote.
Three main trains – 12507Trivandrum-Silchar Express, 12508 Silchar-Trivandrum Express and 15616 Silchar-Guwahati Express – were canceled due to derailment of goods train engine at KM 110/7 between Jatinga Lampur and New Harangajao station under the railway station. Loaming Division of NF Railway on Thursday.
“Due to derailment of an engine of a goods train on KM 110/7 between Jatinga Lampur and New Harangajao station under Lumding division of NF Railway, train operation has been affected,” NF Railway spokesperson said.
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Hundreds of people continue to remain stranded at Guwahati and Lumding railway stations as of Friday noon.
Buses were not available because of elections while private autos were charging exorbitant fares to reach Silchar and Karimganj from Guwahati and Lumding.
Many passengers had to return to their workplaces without voting.
Congress candidate from Karimganj and lawyer Hafiz Rasheed Ahmed Chowdhury said he would take up the matter with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“There are thousands of people coming from Dimapur in Nagaland as well… I suspect there is some hidden hand in this, I will take up this issue with the Election Commission,” Chowdhury said.
However, NFR authorities claimed that train services have been restored from Thursday night.
“As a result of the ongoing effort, the section was restored to train service at 01:59 am today. The first train to cross the section to Badarpur was the Anand Vihar 20502 – Agartala Tejas Rajdhani which crossed at 3:56 am,” said the railway official.
“For the convenience of the passengers, free buses were organized from Lumding station to their destinations in coordination with the state authorities. They also received free food and water,” he added.
It should be mentioned that Emek Barak witnessed a lower turnout compared to other constituencies.
