Awfully Slow, Irregular Service
Trains do not attract people of Kurigram anymore
Kurigram Railway Station gives a deserted look as the cheap and once popular train journey has become awfully slow and irregular due to rundown rail lines in the district, making the passengers opt for alternative mode of transport.Photo: STAR
Once popular among common people, train journey now repulses most of the passengers in Kurigram district as the cheap mode of transport has become awfully slow and irregular due to ramshackle rail lines. More than one hundred shopkeepers and restaurant owners at eight railway stations in Kurigram district have changed their business during the last few years as their customers, mostly trains passengers, are much less due to irregular train service. There are eight railway stations on 53-km railway line in the district. The stations are Singerdabri, Rajarhat, Tagraihat, Kurigram, Pachpir, Ulipur, Balabari and Ramna. About 15 years ago, one mail train from Parbatipur Railwar Junction in Dinajpur district and another local train from Lalmonirhat Railway Junction plied the railway route two times everyday. Then the railway stations remained busy as a large number of local passengers used train for movement while a good number of people ran restaurants, tea-stalls, groceries and dispensaries in the station areas. About seven years ago, the earth under the railway lines got loose due to heavy rainfall and lack of proper care. Consequently, the train service on the route became irregular, prompting local passengers to opt for movement by bus, despite its much higher fares. As the shopkeepers' sale drastically fell for want of customers, they changed their business. About 35 traders in Kurigram station area, seven at Singerdabri station, 12 at Rajarhat station, five at Tagraihat station, six at Pachpir station, 15 at Ulipur station, eight at Balabari station and 25 at Ramna station stopped their business during the last few years. "I sold my hotel here eight years ago as I had to incur losses in absence of customers, who were mainly train passengers. Due to irregular train service, the number of passengers has seriously fallen at the station," said Md Tamir Uddin, 57, who earlier ran a hotel at Kurigram Railway Station area. Md Mojibur Rahman, 53, also closed his hotel business at Kurigram station seven years ago. He now works as an electric mechanic. "Tk 6 is taken as fare for Ramna-Kurigram route, Tk 10 for Kurigram-Rangpur and Tk 15 for Ramna-Rangpur route from a train passenger whereas a bus passenger has to count Tk 35, Tk 65 and Tk 100 cover the distances. But most passengers avoid train journey," said Kurigram Railway Station Master (in-charge) Md Kabir Hossain. "About 20-km rail line from Pachpir station to Ramna station is not fit for proper movement of trains. And so, the schedule for train cannot be maintained. Besides, train service in Kurigram district is being hampered due to shortage of railway engines and drivers," he added. Railway Divisional Traffic Superintendent in Lalmonirhat Division Md Mostafijur Rahman told this correspondent through cell phone, "Arrival of train is delayed as it has to run only 10km per hour on Pachpir-Ramna line. Repair work of the line is going on. The work is likely to be complete this year. Process is also on to appoint necessary staff."
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