The battle is only half won.

For thousands of villagers in and around Turiganj, the name, “Twining Ganj”, sounds unfamiliar. But they are helpless. After years of petitions and arguments, they could change the station’s name in Hindi but not English. Now they are up in arms against the railways with the demand to stop more express trains at the station.

Arvind Singh of Sown village near the station, about 100km west of Patna, said: “The villagers, under the umbrella of passengers’ welfare association, have staged a dharna for consecutive three days that will conclude on December 28. We want some important trains to stop here,” he said.

At least 50-odd trains pass this station — on the Patna-Delhi route — everyday but without a scheduled stop.

Station manager K.N. Sinha said: “I have been posted here for the last two years. Local people have been demanding stoppage of at least two more express trains here for a long time but in vain. Some leaders are sitting on a dharna that will conclude at 4pm on Friday,” Sinha said.

Janaki Yadav, a resident of Udiyaan Ganj village near the station, said: “Twining Ganj does not have even basic facilities. Many passengers suffered injuries while getting down at the station at night. Some of us have to stay in Dumraon or Buxar or Ara railway station during the entire night.”

The villagers of Turiganj — as Twining Ganj is known locally — have now shifted the focus on better facilities and connectivity as they no longer feel the English name could be changed. Retired army officer Rampati Singh of Nuaon village said they had raised voices to change the station’s English name. “It would have been changed after India got Independence but due to apathy of the authorities concerned, it could not be changed.”