Maoist bandh forces train cancellations

Trains passing through Maoist-hit areas were cancelled and short terminated on the East Coast Railways (ECoR) in view of the two-day Bharat Bandh called by the extremists from Wednesday.

The Bhubaneswar-Koraput Hirakhand Express which left Bhubaneswar on Tuesday will go to Koraput, but would return as an empty rake to Rayagada. Similarly, Koraput-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express to leave Koraput today will run from Rayagada to Bhubaneswar and will be cancelled between Rayagada and Koraput, ECoR officials said.

The Bhubaneswar-Koraput-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express leaving Bhubaneswar today will be short-terminated at Rayagada and will be cancelled between Rayagada and Koraput on Thursday.

The Howrah-Koraput-Howrah Samaleswari Express which left Howrah on Wednesday and reached Rayagada today will be short terminated at Rayagada. The train will return to Howrah tomorrow. A similar procedure would be followed for the same train which left Howrah on Wednesday, they said.

The Howrah-Koraput-Howrah Samaleswari Express will remain cancelled between Rayagada and Koraput, the officials said.

Similarly, the Rourkela-Koraput Express arriving Koraput on Wednesday will return to Rayagada as an empty rake and run as Koraput-Rourkela Express from Rayagada instead of Koraput. The train has been cancelled between Koraput and Rayagada. Rourkela-Koraput Express leaving Rourkela will be short terminated at Rayagada and return as 8108 Koraput-Rourkela Express from Rayagada. The train will remain cancelled between Koraput and Rayagada.