Tundi MLA of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and former land revenue minister of Jharkhand, Mathura Prasad Mahto on Wednesday accused the central government of meeting step motherly treatment to Jharkhand in terms of railway development and particularly with regard to Dhanbad Chandrapura Railway Line development.

He charged that by first closing the Dhanbad Chandrapura Railway line in 2017 and by neglecting the development of the railway line further, central government is working on its plan to dig out coal from Katras to Jamunia under the railway line and claimed that the BJP led central government ploy will not be allowed to succeed.

Mahto’s accusation came in the wake of recent allocation of fund worth Rs 142.06 crore by the government in the recent budget for double laning of Bhojudih Telgarhia Railway line and also allocation of a separate fund worth Rs 4.38 crore for integrating Matari station through Telo with Chandrapura Bokaro on Dhanbad Gomoh Railway main line.

Notably, above developments will help to develop the alternative railway line for Dhanbad Chandrapura Railway line and thereby decreasing the significance of Dhanbad Chandrapura Railway line and putting a question mark on the existence of historic Katrasgarh railway station of Dhanbad.

“We are not averse to the development of a new railway line but the silence of the central government over the development plan of Dhanbad Chandrapura Railway line shows its ultravire motives” said Mahto.

“We have written letter of Prime Minister’s office and also to the Railway ministry raising the issue of neglect of Dhanbad Chandrapura Railway line and will soon meet to Ashish Bansal, Divisional Railway Manager of Dhanbad division highlighting the significance of Dhanbad Chandrapura Railway Line” said Mahto .

“If need be, we would again launch a series of agitations in Dhanbad to ensure the development of Dhanbad Chandrapura Railway Line which serves as the lifeline for the common people of Dhanbad and Bokaro including the daily wage earners” said Mahto and further demanded the restoration of all 26 pair of trains including the Dhanbad Chandrapura Muri passenger train which was the main passenger train on the Dhanbad Chandrapura Railway line.

Notably, movement of trains on Dhanbad Chandrapura Railway Line was stopped since June 15, 2017 following the mines regulator, Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) raising concern over the safety of railway line due to underground fire raging beneath the 34 km line at several places.

Later, after the joint inspection of the railway line by officials of DGMS, Railway Ministry and Coal Company BCCL officials the train operation started back in February, 2019 but some of the trains including Dhanbad Chandrapura Muri Railway line are yet to be restored.