The CPI (ML) and the Jharkhand Nirman Mazdoor Union held a dharna on 5 October 2017 at the Tangar Bansali Station to demand the addition of an afternoon plying of the train from Ranchi to Tori and additional coaches in the train.
Addressing the dharna, the CPI (ML) district secretary Com. Bhuvaneshwar Kevat said that the Ranchi-Lohardaga passenger train is the means of transportation and the lifeline of thousands of people daily. However, due to extreme overcrowding nowadays, this train has become a harbinger of death instead of happiness. The passengers are falling prey to accidents every third day. So far over a dozen passengers of this train have died in accidents. The railway management is not mindful of the safety and convenience of the passengers; their attention is instead concentrated on increasing the price of platform tickets to more than Rs 10. If the railway management does not rouse itself from its slumber and make the addition of an afternoon plying of the train from Ranchi to Tori and add extra coaches to the train, the CPI (ML) will move in the direction of an even bigger agitation.
A 5-point charter of demands was submitted to the General Manager (DRM), SE Railway Ranchi Zone through the Station Managr, Tangar Bansali, Mandar. The following are some of the main demands contained in the memorandum: one additional afternoon plying of the Ranchi-Lohardaga Passenger train from Ranchi to Tori; commencement of plying express trains on the Ranchi-Lohardaga-Tori line; addition of 6 extra bogeys on the passenger trains starting from Lohardaga at 7 AM and from Ranchi at 6. 30 PM; increasing the number of bogeys for women in the Ranchi-Lohardaga passenger train; camps to be set up for giving MST passes to unorganized workers travelling as daily passengers.
