GUWAHATI: Thousands of voters, especially migrant workers, coming from Kerala to vote in Assam’s 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 Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).
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Many students and migrant labourers who stay in Kerala and other south Indian cities were travelling by train to arrive in time to cast their votes.
Three major trains -- 12507Trivandrum-Silchar Express, 12508 Silchar-Trivandrum Express and 15616 Silchar-Guwahati Express -- were cancelled due to the derailment of an engine of a goods train at KM 110/7 between Jatinga Lampur and New Harangajao station under the Lumding division of NF Railway on Thursday.
“In view of the derailment of an engine of a goods train at KM 110/7 between Jatinga Lampur and New Harangajao station under the Lumding division of NF Railway, running of trains have been affected,” a spokesperson of NF Railway said.
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Hundreds of people continue to remained stranded in Guwahati and Lumding railway stations as of Friday noon.
Buses were not available because of elections while private cars were demanding exorbitant fares to reach Silchar and Karimganj from Guwahati and Lumding.
Many passengers were forced to return to their places of work without casting their votes.
Congress candidate from Karimganj and noted lawyer Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury said he would take up the matter with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“There are thousands of people who come from Dimapur in Nagaland as well… I suspect there is some hidden hand in this, I will be taking up this matter with the election commission,” Choudhury said.
However, the NFR authorities claimed that train services were restored from Thursday night.
“As a result of the sustained effort, the section was restored for train operation at 1.59 am of today. The first train that crossed the section for Badarpur was the 20502 Anand Vihar – Agartala Tejas Rajdhani which crossed at 3.56 am,” the railway official said.
“For the convenience of passengers, free buses were arranged from Lumding station up to their destinations in coordination with the state authorities. They were also provided with free food and water,” he added.
It needs to be mentioned that Barak Valley witnessed less voter turnout compared to other poll-bound constituencies.