Rail communication in West Zone Railway Division may collapse anytime as well as bring disastrous consequences for commuters since train services in the area are being run with date expired locomotives
Locals said a shutdown of 20 trains for two years had been hampering the efforts by railways to move the growing amount of grain, rice and other goods on their tracks.
At present 42 trains are operated in six routes under Lalmonirhat West Zone Railway Division with the date expired engines.
The routes are Lalmonirhat-Burimari, Lalmonirhat-Tista-Ramnabazar, Lalmonirhat-Shantahar, Parbatipur-Biral Border and Kanchan-Panchagarh.
A section of railway experts said the train services in these routes might halt anytime due to locomotive shortage.
According to railway timetable, 24 mail trains, 26 local and 12 intercity trains should be operated in these routes.
But due to shortage of locomotive and manpower, four mail expresses, 16 local trains remained inoperative.
20 mail expresses, 10 local-mixed and 12 inter-city trains run in theses routes in irregular basis.
Railway officials said they need at least 62 locomotives to run trains in the routes timely.
They have only 32 locomotives in the place of 62 to run the services, the official alleged.
Of the 32, six engines also lied unused due to technical fault.
Sazzad Hossain, assistant officer of Lalmonirhat divisional railway, said: “In the division, there are 12 in-intercity, 20 local and 20 mail trains.”
“At least 42 locomotives are essential in these routes. But, we have only 18 engines to operate 42 trains,” he said.
Beside the locomotive shortage, crisis of manpower hampers the train services seriously.
More than 51 posts have been lying vacant out of 80 in Loco Master (LM) posts for many years.
In the posts of Assistant Loco Master (ALM Grade-II), 25 posts remain vacant out of 51.
Locals, businessmen, teachers and people of several other sections expressed their dissatisfaction for the shut down of trains in several routes.
Traders Momtajuddin of Burimari, said a train named Burimari Commuter was operated from Lalmonirhat-Burimai.
The businessmen of the area have to suffer now as the service has been halted recently, he added.
Teacher Atikur Rahman, farmer Mizanur Rahman Dulal echoed the voice of Momtajuddin.
Sazid Alam, member of Lalmonirhat Chamber and Commerce, said: “We are facing a difficult situation due to shutdown the service of Parbabitpur Commuter from Lalmonirhat to Dinajpur.”
“We urge the government to re-strat the service,” he said.
Md Momtajul Isalm, engineer of the railway, said: “The train service in the region may collapse permanently due acute crisis of loco master and shortage of engines.”
“I have informed the situation to concern authorities several times, but there is no response,” he alleged.
Chief Power Controller Adam Ali said: “The engines, which are operated in several routes now, are out of date, they may collapse anytime.”
When contacted, Md Najmul Hossain, manager of the railway, said: “Members of Parliament (MPs) in the region should take steps in this regard as the subject is under the policy of the government.”