Hyderabad: After a two-day shutdown, Telangana is now bracing for a two-day rail blockade which threatens to seriously disrupt rail links between south and north India.
The rail disruption is feared as the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) will block train traffic on Friday and Saturday to demand the central government initiate the process for a separate state of Telangana.
The movement of trains across the region, comprising 10 districts including Hyderabad, may come to a halt.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Bharatiya Janata Party and several other political and non-political constituents of JAC have geared up to block trains.
The protest, announced three days ago, may hit over 200 trains which criss-cross Telangana daily. The local trains in the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are also likely to be affected.
JAC expects participation of half a million people in the `rail roko` on over 1,000 km railway line in the region. It has appealed to Congress and Telugu Desam Party MPs and legislators who have resigned to take part in the `rail roko`.
South Central Railway, with its headquarters here, is expected to announce Thursday evening about cancellations, diversions and other changes in the train schedules.
A two-day shutdown on Tuesday and Wednesday crippled normal life in the region and brought road transport to a standstill. Buoyed by this, JAC has chalked out plans to make the rail blockade a success.
Chief Secretary SV Prasad met Director General of Police Dinesh Reddy and railway officials on Wednesday night.
The Railway Protection Force has been asked to start surveillance of the railway lines much before the `rail roko` begins and the state police have assured all assistance for this purpose.
The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corp (APSRTC) has decided to operate additional buses in view of the rail blockade.
The corporation will operate 150 buses between Hyderabad and Vijayawada. APSRTC officials said they would also run additional buses from Hyderabad to Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar and Medak districts.
IANS
