Trains on Chandil-Adra section of South Eastern Railway (SER) were late on Monday after a protest on tracks near Kustaur station under Adra division, 130km from the steel city.
Around 100 people, demanding stops of important trains on the route and better passenger amenities, squatted on tracks at Kustaur around 6am and protested till afternoon, affecting the running of passenger and goods trains.
Chhapra-Tatanagar Express, supposed to arrive at Tatanagar at 6.40am, reached around 4pm on Monday. It halted at Adra station for over four hours before it went on a diverted route via Anara, Rukhi, Bhojudih, Chandrapura, Bokaro, Kotshila, Purulia and Chandil. From Chandil, 25km from Jamshedpur, the train went on its normal route.
Dhanbad-Tata Subarnarekha Express, scheduled to arrive at Tatanagar at 11.15am, reached at 5pm. It halted at Adra for more than two hours.
Tatanagar-Danapur Super Express left Tatanagar on its scheduled time at 8.15am but got held up at Chandil. After stopping for three hours, the train ran on a diverted route via Purulia, Bokaro, Gaya and Patna. It is many hours late than 7.25pm, the scheduled Danapur arrival time.
Tatanagar station manager O.P. Sharma said, "Due to the agitation a decision was taken to cancel both Up and down Asansol-Tatanagar Passenger. The train will resume its journey from Tuesday."
Passengers were badly hit.
"I had to go to Asansol for official work by the morning train (Tata-Asansol Passenger) which leaves Tatanagar at 8.45am. Reaching the station I found out the train was cancelled," said Sadhan Kumar, a medical representative.
About half-a-dozen goods trains were also hit, railway sources said.