Over 150 trains cancelled amid cyclone threat

More than 150 express and passenger trains running through South Eastern Railway jurisdiction have been cancelled in view of the possibility of formation of a severe cyclonic storm which is likely to hit Odisha-West Bengal coasts on October 25, an SER official said on Tuesday.

The trains cancelled include Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express, Kamakhya-Yesvantpur AC Express, Howrah-Puri Shatabdi Express, Howrah-Bhubaneswar Shatabdi Express and Howrah-Yesvantpur Express, he said.

The trains cancelled were scheduled to depart their originating stations from October 23 to 25, the SER official said.
More trains running through the SER zone may be cancelled if the situation demands.

The Kolkata-headquartered SER zone is spread over the states of West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.

The Eastern Railway will operate an emergency control room from October 24 to 25, an ER official said.

According to the Met office, a depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and cross Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island in the early hours of October 25 with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph.