Patna: Two passenger trains, including a local Buxar-Patna, were delayed due to the movement of the cavalcade of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at Buxar, about 120 km from Patna on Wednesday evening.
The Railways claimed the trains were halted for nine minutes to allow the passage of the CM motorcade to the Circuit House. Itarhi railway crossing was kept open for uninterrupted movement of the vehicles.
The Chief Minister told the media in Patna on Thursday morning that he had no knowledge if any train was stopped to facilitate his movement during the Samadhan Yatra. He said, “Kab, kahan, kaise, hamko nahi pata.”
Mr Santosh Kumar, the gate man at the railway crossing, however, said, “The railway crossing was kept open as the convoy of the Chief Minister was expected to arrive. It would have been risky to allow the movement of train from the nearest station on the track when the CM convoy was expected.”
The district administration claimed no instruction was given to the railways to stop the trains and keep the crossing open.
EC Railways chief PRO Virendra Kumar said, “The movement was affected for nine minutes for local factors. There was a jam near the railway crossing.”
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey, who represents Buxar in the Lok Sabha claimed the movement of trains was affected for 30 minutes to facilitate the CM convoy to pass through the railway crossing near the railway station without interruption.
“While Mr Nitish Kumar claimed to be on the Samadhan (solution) Yatra, his visit had created Vyadhan (disturbed) the people,” said Mr Chaubey, who was at Buxar on Wednesday.
He regretted many old and women passengers were hassled due to the delayed trains and the distressed passengers were forced to walk as no vehicle was allowed and passengers were forced to deboard before the station.
Mr Choubey sought an inquiry by the Railway Ministry into the VVIP treatment to the CM at the cost of common passengers.
Mr Kumar continued his Samadhan Yatra and visited villages in Koelwar and Sandesh blocks in neighbouring Bhojpur district.
BJP leaders held a protest dharna at JP roundabout on Thursday.
