CORAPUT: For almost a month after the replacement of conventional coaches with Linke-Hofmann-Busch (LHB), old and un -fined rakes have been again attached to one of the two Hirakhand Express trains that walk between Jagdalpur and Bhubaneswar.
“I rode Hirakhand Express from Bhubaneswar to reach Jeypore, and saw that the old and dirty coach had attached to the train,” said Ramnath Sahu, a Jeypore resident.
The LHB coach attached to Hirakhand Express on September 10 after the Minister of Ashwini Vaishnaw Railway Minister to Raya on August 20.
The train usually carries 12 trainers, including AC-2 Tier, Four Sleeper Class, three second grade and coaches of guards-cum-luggage and coach Divyangjan.
“LHB coach is safer, lighter and more comfortable compared to the conventional.
It is unfortunate that the train has replaced it with a conventional coach.
I was very disappointed during my trip with Hirakhand Express,” Subham Mihara, another Jeypore resident.
A senior East Coast Railway official said at the inauguration, two salaries of LHB coach were introduced in Hirakhand Express, but now one rake has been withdrawn to be used on several other trains.
“Immediately sweeping other LHB coaches will be given to Hirakhand Express,” the official word Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said he had taken a problem with the train minister.
“The introduction of LHB coaches brought cheers to passengers because the old coaches were not treated.
I discussed this issue with the train minister to immediately restore the LHB coach to the train,” said Bahinipati.