Patna: Railways on Wednesday restored normal train operations on the down line between Punpun and Parsa Bazaar stations on the Patna-Gaya section of Danapur division under the East Central Railway (ECR) jurisdiction.According to Danapur senior divisional commercial manager (senior DCM) Abhinav Siddarth, the railways took the decision to resume normal traffic movement after the water level at rail bridge number 21 located between Punpun and Parsa Bazaar stations, felll below the danger level. The first train to pass through the down line was the Gaya-Patna MEMU passenger (63254) at 6.15pm on Tuesday on a trial basis. The train was allowed to cross the bridge at a restricted speed of 10 kmph as a safety precaution, he said.With the restoration of the down line, the single-line working arrangement introduced on the Patna-Gaya route was thus withdrawn after four days of restricted train operations. The restrictions had been imposed after the rising water level of the Punpun river reached close to the rail bridge girder affecting normal movement of trains on the route, Siddarth said.The railways initially imposed a speed limit of passenger trains at 20 km per hour on the bridge early Wednesday morning for all the passenger trains coming from Gaya end through the down line. However, the railways has decided to increase the speed limit up to 60 kmph following improvement in the track condition and recession of flood waters in the river, he said.Although normal operations have resumed, close monitoring of rail bridge number 21 and the water level of the Punpun river would continue. Surveillance teams have been deployed to keep a constant watch on the bridge and surrounding conditions to ensure safe train movements during the monsoon period, he said.
