NFR sets legal precedent to deter agitations at railway tracks

Guwahati, May 7 (IANS) In a decisive move to curb disruptions caused by 'Rail Roko agitations', Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has initiated a landmark strategy combining legal enforcement with financial accountability towards any protest at railway tracks, officials said on Wednesday.

The NFR operates in the northeastern states and in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar.

NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, said that departing from conventional responses, NFR has begun filing civil compensation suits, a rare step in the Indian Railways ecosystem which is aimed at recovering monetary losses from those responsible for obstructing train services.

This is being undertaken alongside criminal prosecution under the Railways Act by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), ensuring strict legal consequences for such disruptions.

Under this initiative, two civil suits have already been filed in the civil courts of Alipurduar and Malda in West Bengal, seeking compensation of Rs 5.94 crore for damages arising from prolonged rail blockades.

The move has had an immediate deterrent effect witnessing four planned Rail Roko programmes have since been withdrawn.

The coordinated effort, led by Senior Divisional Operations Managers, supported by RPF and the General Manager's Law Office of NFR, is being seen as a model of administrative resolve and legal innovation within the zone, the CPRO said.

He added that with sustained action and strong institutional backing, NFR in line with Indian Railways, is determined to ensure uninterrupted train operations discouraging misuse of railway tracks for agitation.

The zone remains committed towards maintaining safety, punctuality and public convenience smooth within the railways, while holding accountable those who endanger the lifeline of the region, Sharma said.

In some 'Rail Roko agitations', huge properties of the Railways were occasionally damaged in different states.

--IANS

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