GUWAHATI, Jan 4 - Today�s devastating earthquake affected train services in the region temporarily. However, there have been no reports of any casualties from rail tracks or other railway installations or any major damage to any such property till late afternoon, officials of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said.
�Due to the tremor felt over the entire north-eastern region, running of all trains, including passenger, mail/express and goods, were immediately controlled at several stations over NF Railway. Engineering department officials inspected the tracks, bridges and other vital installations and arranged for piloting of trains. As a result many trains were regulated at various stations,� NFR Chief Public Relations Officer PJ Sharma said.
He said regular services were resumed as soon as the inspection was over and go-ahead for resumption of trains received. �Everything is normal now and regular train services have resumed. There is now regular movement of trains,� he said. No trains were cancelled in the NFR zone.
Tracks and bridges were checked by piloting of trains where empty locomotives and coaches are run to test the stability of the structures.
A total of 56 trains were regulated for certain periods, including 12 in Alipurduar division, eight in Rangiya division, ten in Lumding division, 11 in Tinsukia division and 15 in Katihar division.
The Dibrugarh-Delhi Rajdhani Express was delayed in its departure from Guwahati by over three and a half hours as it was regulated at Hojai station for over two hours.
�The Railways has to follow certain safety precautions during such calamities and so some time is consumed in resuming services. On-run trains were immediately controlled as soon as the earthquake occurred and only resumed after getting clearance from inspection teams,� NFR PRO Nripen Bhattacharya said.
