Photo Courtesy: northeasttoday
Agartala: Commuters staged a protest at Jirania railway station on Monday morning, forcing two passenger trains to a standstill due to persistent overcrowding and a shortage of train coaches. The demonstration disrupted travel on the Agartala to Karimganj route and the Dharmanagar to Agartala route, leaving many passengers stranded during their morning commute.
The Karimganj-bound train arrived at Jirania with only five coaches, a recurring issue that passengers say forces them to ride in unsafe conditions, including climbing onto the engine. Despite holding valid tickets, commuters waiting at the station were unable to board the already packed carriages, sparking the blockade. Both trains remained halted at the station as of 10:10 AM while local police and Government Railway Police attempted to negotiate with the crowd.
Protesters accused the Northeast Frontier Railway of ignoring repeated complaints regarding insufficient capacity. The commuters demand immediate action to resolve the overcrowding, stating that the situation could have been avoided with better planning. One protester remarked, "The protesters also warned that they would continue their agitation until they receive concrete assurances regarding a permanent solution and an increase in the number of coaches."
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