Kolkata: Eastern Railway has suspended local train services from Sealdah from 8 pm on Thursday till 10 am on Friday in view of the cyclone. “We don’t want any passenger train to be on the tracks when the cyclone strikes,” said an official.
The Sealdah division covers six Bengal districts — North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Kolkata, and Howrah.
The official said the last train from Hasnabad and Namkhana, which are close to the coastal areas in North and South 24 Parganas, will depart for Sealdah by 7 pm on Thursday. Asked why he was specifically mentioning the Sealdah-Barasat-Hasnabad section, he said: “The cyclone impact is likely to be maximum in this area. We want everyone to be home by 10pm. Normal services in the section will resume from 10 am the next day.”
This was badly affect officegoers who take the suburban trains home from Sealdah from early evening to midnight. “How will I go home if there are no trains? I usually take a bus from Esplanade to Sealdah around 8 pm and board a local train to my Barasat home,” said Santanu Das, who works with a private firm.
ER officials of Sealdah division urged passengers to plan their journeys accordingly and stay updated with the latest information. “We prioritize the safety and wellbeing of our passengers. Our staff will be ready for all help,” an official said.
Meanwhile, SER has announced more than 150 express and passenger trains have been cancelled in view of the cyclone.