ProMASS News Bureau: Feb 21, 2016:
Most of the train services in Alipurduar division of Northeast Frontier Railway, NFR, remained disrupted for the second day today due to a rail blockade at New Cooch Behar station in West Bengal. Activists of Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association, GCPA, have put up an indefinite blockade on the tracks demanding a separate state. The agitation has severely affected the rail traffic between West Bengal and north-eastern States, mainly Assam.
Opening run of Passenger DEMU train from New Cooch Behar to Chyangrabandha via Siliguri was postponed on today (Feb 21).
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu was to inaugurate this service today. Eastern Railway authorities in Kolkata today cancelled four major trains from Howrah and Sealdah stations in Kolkata owing to the blockade. The trains include Up Howrah-Dibrugarh Kamrup Express, Up Howrah-Guwahati Saraighat Express, Up Sealdah – New Alipurduar Teesta Torsa Express and Up Sealdah-New Cooch Behar Uttarbanga Express.
The Alipurduar district administration and NFR authorities, meanwhile, arranged to pass major stranded trains, including Kamrup, Saraighat and Garibrath Expresses, via a diversion through Alipurduar junction but most of the passenger trains have been cancelled due to the agitation. The squatters continued to block the tracks at New Cooch Behar station today when the reports last came in. The administration today moved in water cannons and anti-riot forces at the scene of the agitation.
Demanding talks with representatives of the Union Home Ministry at the protest site, GCPA leader, Banshi Badan Barman said they will not withdraw the movement till their demand to make Cooch Behar a state or give a Union Territory status is accepted.
