Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Dec 20:Train services in Chakradharpur Railway Division will remain disrupted for nearly a month due to extensive Non-Interlocking (NI) works being undertaken at multiple stations, the South Eastern Railway has announced.
Line blocks will be imposed on different dates from December 20 to January 21, 2026, affecting regular rail operations across the division.
Several express and MEMU services will be cancelled on multiple dates.
Train Nos. 18109/18110 Tatanagar–Itwari–Tatanagar Express, 18175/18176 Hatia–Jharsuguda–Hatia Express, and 68043/68044 Tatanagar–Rourkela–Tatanagar MEMU will remain cancelled on December 20, 23, 27 and 30, 2025, and January 3, 6, 10, 13, 17 and 20, 2026.
Meanwhile, Train Nos. 58659 Hatia–Rourkela Passenger and 58660 Rourkela–Hatia Passenger will remain completely cancelled from December 20 to January 21.
The NI work will also impact the Ispat Express. Train No. 22861 Howrah–Kantabanji/Titlagarh Ispat Express will be short-terminated at Tatanagar on various dates between December 20 and January 20, with the onward service cancelled.
Similarly, Train No. 22862 Kantabanji/Titlagarh–Howrah Ispat Express will be short-originated and short-terminated at Jharsuguda, affecting direct travel to Howrah.
Among rescheduled trains, Train No. 18310 Jammu Tawi–Sambalpur Express will depart five and a half hours late from Jammu Tawi between December 18 and January 18, while Train No. 18106 Jaynagar–Rourkela Express will leave Jaynagar three and a half hours late between December 19 and January 19.
Additionally, Train No. 18477 Puri–Rishikesh Utkal Express will run via a diverted route—Cuttack–Sambalpur Yard–Jharsuguda Road–Ib—from December 19 to January 19.
Frequent cancellations and operational changes have caused growing dissatisfaction among passengers.
Daily commuters and local organisations have criticised the repeated cancellation of passenger services, warning of possible protests if the disruptions continue.
