The Eastern Railway will suspend all local train services from Sealdah station starting 8 pm on Thursday until 10 am on Friday due to the cyclonic storm ‘Dana’, as per officials.
The decision has been taken as a precautionary measure fore the safety of passengers in the Sealdah division. This division serves six districts of West Bengal – North 24 Praganas, South 24 Praganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Kolkata and Howrah.
“From 8 pm onwards on October 24, no local train will start from Sealdah station to ensure that no train is on the tracks during the time when the cyclone is apprehended to make landfall,” the ER official said.
He added that the local train services in the division will remain suspended until 10 am on October 25.
An official stated that the last trains from Hasnabad and Namkhana stations, located near coastal areas in North and South 24 Parganas districts respectively, will depart for Sealdah by 7 pm on October 24.
On Tuesday, South Eastern Railway announced the cancellation of over 150 express and passenger trains operating within its jurisdiction due to the cyclone. Additionally, the East Coast Railway cancelled 198 trains passing through or originating from Odisha.
The storm, expected to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha early Friday with wind speeds reaching up to 120 kmph, will bring heavy rainfall to several districts in South Bengal on October 24 and 25, according to the Met office.
(With PTI inputs)