GUWAHATI, May 2 - In view of the impending cyclonic storm �Fani�, which is expected to hit the Odisha coast tomorrow, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today directed Chief Secretary Alok Kumar to take steps for evacuating tourists and devotees of Assam who may be stranded in the coastal State.
Sonowal asked the Chief Secretary to talk with officials of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) so that special train services can be arranged for bringing the tourists back to Assam from Odisha.
Hrishikesh Goswami, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister, had telephonic talks with many tourists from Assam who have gone to Odisha and enquired about their well-being. Goswami informed them about special trains that were pressed into service for bringing them back to Assam immediately.
Later in the day, higher officials from the State government talked to the NFR authorities on the issue.
Meanwhile, Bhubaneswar-headquartered East Coast Railway (ECR) has pressed into service three special trains to evacuate tourists and visitors from the states located in the eastern zone, including Assam.
The trains departed from Puri and will reach Howrah tomorrow.
�The first special train departed from Puri at noon, followed by two others at 3 pm and 6 pm, respectively. In addition, both the Odisha government and the Railways are making frequent announcements asking people to evacuate from the areas which are likely to be hit by Fani,� said Nripen Bhattacharya, Public Relations Officer of NFR.
Bhattacharya added, �There are a number of trains which operate from Howrah to Guwahati and Dibrugarh. The evacuated tourists can use that service to travel from Howrah onwards.�
In view of the impending crisis posed by Fani, NFR today announced cancellation of three long-distance trains.
The 07149 Secunderabad-Kamakhya Special Fare Special, which was scheduled for May 3, the 15643 Puri-Kamakhya Express, which was scheduled for May 4, and the 07150 Kamakhya-Secunderabad Special Fare Special trains have all been cancelled.
