As a result of unscientific, slaughtering, indiscriminate and illegal coal mining operation carried out for more than 200 years by both private and Coal India Ltd. a vast stretch of land falling within Raniganj Coalfields in W. Bengal and Jharia Coalfields in Jharkhand have become unsafe and risky. Occurrence of subsidence, gas, fire etc. under and near railways tracks have become a regular feature. In 1997 itself DGMS, Dhanbad had declared 171 locations dangerous & unsafe. By now the list has become lengthier. The railway tracks running to North India from Howrah & Sealdah Railway Stations stand on these dangerous zones of the two coalfields. In order to earn narrow political mileage adamant Railway Minister wants to introduce “DURANT EXPRESS” from Howrah & Sealdah to New Delhi without considering minimum safety aspect of innocent passengers. Will railway tracks standing on land vulnerable to subsidence and landslide will be able to withstand the bullet speed of “DURANT EXPRESS’?
