When Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was seen praying with folded hands as the first train moved on restored tracks late on the night of June 4 near Bahanaga Bazaar Railway Station in Odisha’s Balasore district, which witnessed one of most devastating train accidents in the country’s history, it was thought everything would fall into line thereafter.
However, more than 100 passenger trains have been cancelled on the busy Howrah-Chennai line since June 6. Plans for summer vacation from school have gone awry. Despite efforts, it appears that restoration to normalcy has not returned to the pre-accident level.
Passengers from West Bengal, who were stranded in Odisha after the accident, have taken advantage of free bus rides to Kolkata facilitated by the Odisha State government, but those who want to go to the southern States are having a harrowing time.
