12 Trains from (BONA)BOINDA to (MCS)MANCHESWAR

ISPAT AND PURI-DURG EXPRESS WILL HAVE STOPPAGES AT DUNGRIPALI STATION:

●        Rajyarani Express to Stop at Kuhuri

●        Puri-Durg-Puri Express to Stop at Mancheswar

For the convenience of passengers and in view of demands from passengers, it has been decided to provide stoppages of Howrah-Titilagarh/Kantabanji-Howrah Ispat Express and Puri-Durg-Puri Express at Dungripali Station o­n an experimental basis.

Ispat Express to Stop at Dungripali:

22861/22862 Howrah-Kantabanji-Howrah Ispat Express from both the directions w.e.f. 2^ndJune will have stoppage at Dungripali Station. Similarly, 12871/12872 Howrah-Titilagarh-Howrah Ispat Express from Howrah w.e.f. 3^rd June and from Titilagarh w.e.f. 4^th June will have stoppage at Dungripali Station. This train from Howrah will arrive at Dungripali at 1718hrs and will leave at 1720hrs. In the return direction, this train from Kantabanji/Titilagarh will arrive at Dungripali at 0650hrs and will leave at 0652hrs.

Puri-Durg-Puri Express to Stop at Dungripali:

18425/18426 Puri-Durg-Puri Express from Puri w.e.f. 1^st June and from Durg w.e.f. 2^nd June 2023 will have stoppage at Dungripali Station. This train from Puri will arrive at Dungripali at 0345hrshrs and will leave at 0347hrs. In the return direction, this train from Durg will arrive at Dungripali at 2248hrs and will leave at 2250hrs.

Rajyarani Express to Stop at Kuhuri:

18117/18118 Rourkela-Gunupur-Rourkela Rajyarani Express from Rourkela w.e.f. 3^rdJune and from Gunupur w.e.f. 4^th June will provide stoppage at Kuhuri Station. This train from Rourkela will arrive at Kuhuri at 0722hrs and will leave at 0724hrs. In the return direction, this train from Gunupur will arrive at Kuhuri at 2041hrs and will leave at 2043hrs.

Puri-Durg-Puri Express to Stop at Mancheswar:

18425/18426 Puri-Durg-Puri Express from both the directions w.e.f. 4^th June 2023 will have stoppage at Mancheswar Station. This train from Puri will arrive at Mancheswar at 2042hrs and will leave at 2044hrs. In the return direction, this train from Durg will arrive at Mancheswar at 0655hrs and will leave at 0657hrs.

Yesterday, ECoR had announced stoppage of 19 trains at 07 Stations. Taking the above, now 25 Trains will have stoppages at 10 Stations.

On the night of April 6th, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in the Angul-Sambalpur Railway Section, where an elephant lost its life due to a train accident between Boinda and Jarapada Stations. Some media outlets have reported that the incident occurred due to a lack of coordination between the Railway and Forest Department.

It is mentioned here that, there are Wildlife Control Cells functioning at Divisional Headquarters at Sambalpur and Khurda Road Railway Division that provide information regarding movement of elephants to the Divisional Controls so that the movement of wildlife will be safe o­n Railway tracks. This coordination leads to the railways running the trains at a lower speed and blowing horns while moving o­n a particular stretch of track to avoid wildlife and train conflict.

In this particular incidence, the Wildlife Control Cell manned by Forest Department at Sambalpur Railway Division gave a Memo to the Divisional Control Office o­n restriction of Train Movement at 06.30p.m. o­n 06.04.2023 mentioning that in view of Elephant movement, train running should be restricted with Speed Limit of 50Kmph from Kms 125/00 to Kms 131/00 from both sides between Boinda and Jarapada Stations from 06.30p.m. of 06.04.2023 to 06.30a.m. of 07.04.2023.

Upon receiving this information, the Railways took necessary steps, and the instructions were clearly communicated to the Loco Pilot, who followed the orders provided to him through a caution order. However, it should be noted that the unfortunate incident occurred beyond the above-mentioned area, specifically at KMs 131/23-25, which is beyond the elephant passing zone, as per the memo of the Forest Department. The incident occurred at 2121hrs while 20832 Sambalpur-Shalimar Mahima Gosain Express was approaching Jarapada Railway Station from Boinda in Sambalpur-Angul Railway Section, with all precautions taken by maintaining the above-mentioned speed limit, blowing horns, and following all caution orders.

After the incident, the loco-pilot checked the spot and proceeded to Jarapada Station at 2149hrs and reached at 2152hrs and reported the incident to the Station authorities. Later, the Railway track was checked, and permission was given for train movement at 2233hrs.

A team of forest and Wildlife Department visited the spot to remove the elephant body from Railway Track o­n 7th April 2023. Railway officials also cooperated with Forest Department for removal of Elephant body from the train line. Train Traffic Movement Block was taken from 1445hrs to 1510hrs for this purpose.

ECoR takes the unfortunate incident of the elephant's death very seriously and is monitored at the top level of management. All channels of communication are open for proper coordination with the Forest Department, and there is no lack of coordination from the Railway system.

It is further mentioned here that, there was no casualty or injury to any passenger and all the passengers were safe. Swift and appropriate action had been taken by East Coast Railway o­n receipt of the information regarding Elephant Movement.

It is also mentioned that, with proper coordination with the Forest department, ECoR has already been following elephant caution orders, where the speed of trains is restricted for the safe movement of elephants o­n the track, at the cost of punctuality of the trains. Elephant caution orders exist at many places in ECoR jurisdiction, like near Rambha & Huma in Khurda Road-Brahmapur Railway Section, Naraj-Rajathgarh Section, Rajathgarh-Angul-Sambalpur Railway Sections apart from other places in ECoR jurisdiction where Railway is coordinating with Forest Department for saving wildlife.