Petition submitted by People of Kishanganj & Uttar Dinajpur Districts in Feb 2010

Keeping in mind the upcoming Railway Budget supposed to be presented on February 26, 2010, the people of Kishanganj and nearby Uttar Dinajpur (West Bengal) districts have submitted a petition to Kishanganj MP Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi on February 14, 2010. The petition addressed to Union Railway Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee is focussing on some major problems faced by the people of two districts. The petition is carrying signatures of over 100 people with details of villages and districts.

Maulana Asrarul Haque welcomed the step taken by the people of two districts. While accepting the petition he said, a petition is the right way to demand for any genuine issue from the concerned authority. People should follow this way to ask for their rights. Further he said that he will handover the petition to Ms.Mamata Banerjee in a couple of days with a letter duely signed by him.

Although it can be taken as guaranted that Mamata Banerjee will fulfill all the demands mentioned in the petition. But as a responsible citizen the people of Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur districts have done the right thing by bringing the key problems before the Honourable MP and the Railway Minister.

Below is the copy of petition presented to Maulana Asrarul Haque Sb:

A Petition from people of Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur districts related to some grieving railways issues

To,

Ms. Mamata Banerjee,
Honourable Union Minister for Railways (Government of India)

President All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)

C-4, M.S. Flats, B.K.S. Marg,New Delhi - 110 001

Subject: For providing kind attention on some of the genuine problems faced by people of Kishanganj (Bihar) & neighbour district of Uttar Dinajpur (West Bengal)

Through: Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi, Honourable Member of Parliament from Kishanganj

Dear Madam,

First of all we would like to thank you for nicely handling the railway ministry since the formation of UPA government in 2009. New concepts like Duronto Express trains, Yuva Express trains and other trains are welcome step, and really commendable. Amendments in previously existing Tatkal Rules is also a positive step taking in favour of passengers. Hope, your policies and essential rectification would certainly take Indian Railways on right direction.

However, we the people of Kishanganj (Bihar) and neighbouring Uttar Dinajpur (West Bengal) districts are facing a number of problems related to railway that we would like to take into your knowledge. Set in north-eastern corner of India, the districts of Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur are among the most backward and economically weak regions of the country. I would like to let you inform that thousands of people from Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur have migrated in last a couple of decades to earn their livelihood to various parts of the country including national capital New Delhi. Almost everyday hundreds of people including women and children travel between Kishanganj and New Delhi stations and that number go around 1,000 during festive seasons and long holidays such as summers and winters.

Trains are the most convenient mode of transport for the locals of Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur to travel between Kishanganj (the main railhead for both the district) and New Delhi. However, in the name of rail connectivity there are very few trains between Kishanganj. North East Express (2505, 2506), Mahananda Express (4083, 4084), Brahmaputra Mail (4055, 4056), Avadh Assam Express (5609 / 5610) and Gharib Nawaz Express (5715, 5716) are the trains connecting Kishanganj with New Delhi / Delhi. But the seat availability in all these trains are not enough to meet the requirement of a huge number of passengers travelling to and from New Delhi. Despite being availability of 5 to 6 trains, always people face the seat availability problems as apart from Gharib Nawaz Express (which runs thrice a week and devoid of basic facilities like pantry car) no any train exists from Kishanganj or ends at Kishanganj.

Rajdhani Express (2423, 2424, 2435 & 2436) also connects Kishanganj with Delhi, but it is not affordable for common people. For past few years the number of passengers is increasing almost every day. But at the same time the trains on Delhi – New Japaiguri are unable to meet the requirements. Prior to you former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav visited Kishanganj many times and he was also aware about the problems faced by the people of the area. With a new hope we are sharing our problems with you for genuine actions.

We are mentioning few of our problems below as follows:

• Garib Rath Express was introduced during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s ministry but he didn’t provide any train to really deserving economically week people of Kishanganj. As Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur are 1500 km away from New Delhi the journey in mail trains usually takes 30 hours that is quite hectic. Garib Rath Express is considered among the best trains of India. If such a train will be introduced between Kishanganj or New Jalpaiguri and New Delhi, it will be nothing less than a precious gift for the economically weak people of Kishanganj and Uttar Dinjapur. People will be able to travel in air-conditioned classes at the cost little more than sleeper class. So, we request you to kindly introduce Garib Rath Express between New Delhi & Kishanganj (New Jalpaiguri). For the time being, Garib Rath Express (2203 / 2204 ) running between Amritsar & Saharsa can be extended to Kishanganj via Purnea & Katihar.

• Sampark Kranti Express (2501, 2502) a super-fast train introduced by former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav also passes through Kishanganj. But currently the train has no stoppage at Kishanganj. In fact, Lalu Prasad Yadav himself announced the stoppage of Sampark Kranti Express at Kishanganj almost three times, but it was just a false promise and it never came into effect. We the people of Kishanganj & Uttar Dinajpur request you to kindly allow stoppage of Sampark Kranti Express (2501, 2502) at Kishanganj Railway Station. As the train has all classes of travels (Air-conditioned First Class, Two Tier and Three Tier, and Sleeper and General Classes) it would be very useful for the people of Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur districts.

• Another big problem people of Kishanganj are facing since more than a decade is illegal reservation system in which many unauthorised agents as well as railway officials are involved. In fact, it has grown like a cancer and highly annoys all types of travellers. The ticket issuing staffs at railway counter in Kishanganj are linked with the agents and issue tickets for all trains from Rajdhani to Mahananda Express under false name like S. Akhtar, M. Kumar, etc. Surprisingly and shockingly, you may not find tickets available on railway counters or online website www.irctc.co.in, but if you will contact these agents they can provide you reserved ticket for sure with your name or any imaginary name. Please appoint some officials to nab the corrupt staffs and stop this illegal practice, as it is badly affecting the Indian Railways as well as common people.

• Another issue is related to construction of railway yard at Kishanganj Railway Station. A yard is essential for Kishanganj Railway Station for the washing of train boggies, but the work is in halt since last few months that was started during previous ministry headed by Lalu Prasad Yadav. Only for washing and maintenance of trains, some trains (Garib Nawaz Express) that are bound to Kishanganj go to New Jalpaiguri. In fact, in past few trains such as Mahananda Express (4083 & 4084) and Capital Express (3245 & 3246) that were actually bounded to Kishanganj were extended to New Jalapiguri first and later on extended to Alipurduar Junction and Kamakhya respectively due to unavailability of railway yard at Kishanganj Railway Station. In result to the extension a fair portion of seats (berths) quota actually meant for passengers boarding from Kishanganj were later shared by the people boarding the trains from railway stations ahead. Presently the quota of berths have been reduced due to extension, and people of Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur always face reservation problem. If Kishanganj will have a yard for maintenance of trains there would not be any need to extend the trains actually bounded for Kishanganj to New Jalpaiguri or ahead. Please guide the concerned authority to complete the work on time, so that the extra travel of trains can be curtailed and it would eventually stop the unessential cost of fuel as well as extra working time of drivers who drive to trains without passengers to New Jalpaiguri for just washing and maintenance works.

At last, we the people of Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur districts request you to kindly look into the issues and solve as soon as you can. We will be highly obliged to your for your kind endeavour and the generation to come would always remember it.

Hoping for a positive response from your side and wishing you all the best for success of Indian Railways

With regards,

Thanking you,

(People of Kishanganj (Bihar) & Uttar Dinajpur (West Bengal) districts)

Note: Please find the details of petitioners in the attached sheet