Resumption of rail traffic on DC route unlikely

Shashank Shekhar

Dhanbad. ( Jharkhand) :  Union Coal Secretary  Sushil Kumar on December 9, 2017, said that unless the 18 km railway track on Dhanbad – Chandrapura rail route in Jharkhand is removed it would not be possible to douse the underground fire which was still sraging and spreading damaging millions of tons of quality coal eating into billions of rupees of Bharat Coking Coal Limited.

Sushil Kumar was talking  to mediapersons after attending  the 92^nd foundation day programme of Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad. The statement of the Union Coal Secretary made it clear that no trains will ply on  Dhanbad— Chandrapura train route. The movement of trains on this route was stopped four months back. “Let me be very clear on this issue. Unless the rail tracks on Dhanbad—Chadrapura (DC) route are removed it is not possible to douse the underground fire though different views are coming that the raging  underground fire can be checked,” he said.

In the report of Central Institute of Mining  and Fuel Research (CIMFR), which I have not seen, few scientists  have  claimed that the underground fire on Dhanbad-Chadrapura route can be doused but it does not seems feasible and everyone should keep this in mind, said  the Union Coal Secretary .

Dhanbad has witnessed agitation demanding resumption of movement of trains on  the DC route and  besides other poltical parties leaders even Dhanbad and Giridih BJP  MPs P N Singh and Ravindra Pandey respectively are in favour of resumption of rail traffic on the route but with the statement gof union Coal Secretary on December 9 makes it clear that it was unlikely.