Rajdhani restricted in Bihar due to Maoist shutdown
By IANSWednesday, March 31, 2010
PATNA - Restrictions were imposed on the passage of Rajdhani Express in Bihar while two trains were cancelled due to fear of Maoist violence in wake of a shutdown Wednesday, a railway official said.
\”The East Central Railway (ECR) cancelled four trains, changed the routes of two trains and imposed a speed restriction for Rajdhani Express trains due to Maoist shutdown on March 30 and 31,\” said the official at ECR headquarters in Hajipur.
Te Maoist shutdown in Bihar began late Tuesday to protest the Green Hunt operation. The operation, aided by the central government, was launched to flush out rebels from the Maoist-hit states.
Railways have become a soft target for Maoists. \”Taking this into consideration, the ECR has taken precautionary measures to avoid loss,\” the official said.
He said Maoists targeted the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express March 22. Also, 10 train coaches were derailed after rebels blew up a rail track in Gaya district, leading to cancellation of three trains and diversion of 17 more.
\”It caused a loss of Rs.80 lakh to the railways,\” the ECR official
