Hailakandi: Thousands of residents staged a two-hour demonstration in Karimganj railway station on Saturday, demanding the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to withdraw its decision to end the halting of all superfast, express and local trains at the station.

The NFR has said all trains will only stop at the new Karimganj station, 5km from the town.

At present, only the Agartala-Karimganj-Silchar passenger train and the Mahisashan local stop at the old station. The Agartala-Karimganj-Silchar passenger train will also stop there from Friday.

North Karimganj MLA K.D. Purkayastha said the daily commuters, businessman and underprivileged passengers will suffer because of the decision. He questioned the decision to make passengers travel an additional 5km. He said he would request the NFR general manager to review the decision.

BJP leader and former MLA Mission Ranjan Das said he written to Union minister of state for railways Rajen Gohain requesting him to halt the Agartala-Silchar passenger train at the old station.