Ludhiana-Dhuri section commuters a harried lot
Our Correspondent
Mandi Ahmedgarh, Oct 4
Commuters were a harried lot as most of the trains running between the Ludhiana and Dhuri junctions, passing through this area were cancelled owing to the derailment of a train on the Ludhiana-Jalandhar track today.
Owners of three-wheelers, other light traffic vehicles and petrol stations did a brisk business. Daily passenger trains between local areas and surrounding Ludhiana, Malerkotla and Dhuri towns were cancelled without any prior announcement. Passengers stranded at Dhuri and Malerkotla railway stations were even more upset as they had to reach bus stands, situated distantly from the place of train halt, to catch buses.
Navtej Kumar of Dhuri town said he had to seek help of his relatives at Malerkotla to catch a bus to reach his destination.
Naresh Sharma, employee at a private firm in Ludhiana, got late in reaching the office as morning trains running between Jakhal and Ludhiana daily were cancelled. As a majority of buses plying between Malerkotla and Ludhiana return from Pohir Chowk instead of entering the bus stand, the panicked commuters had to hire three-wheelers. More cautious commuters managed to reach Dehlon village to catch buses and private tempos to reach Ludhiana.
Those going on a long journey by train were seen camping at the railway station, waiting for resumption of railway traffic either during the night or in the morning.
Sanjiv Kumar, in charge at railway station, said certain trains had been cancelled due to derailment of a train on the Ludhiana-Jalandhar route. Claiming that extra arrangements for safe stay of passengers had been made, he said information about resumption of normal traffic was yet to be received.
