Raipur, Aug 23 : Railway passengers in Chhattisgarh are likely to face significant travel disruptions during the upcoming festive season, as South East Central Railway (SECR) has announced the cancellation of 24 to 26 trains between August 23 and August 27.

The cancellations are due to ongoing construction and electrification work on the third and fourth railway lines in the Bilaspur-Jharsuguda section. In addition to the cancellations, two trains will operate via diverted routes, while three others will run only partially.

The affected services include several major express and passenger trains such as the Tatanagar'Bilaspur Express, Santragachi-Pune Express, Howrah-Mumbai Express, Hatia-Pune Express, and Puri-Jodhpur Express, among others. Local trains like the Raigarh-Bilaspur MEMU and Gondia-Jharsuguda Passenger will also be impacted.

Railway officials stated that the fourth line project, spanning 206 kilometres between Bilaspur and Jharsuguda, is progressing rapidly, with over 150 kilometres of track already completed.

During this phase, Kirodimal Nagar station in Raipur will be connected to the new line, and electrification work will be carried out along the Raipur'Jharsuguda corridor.

Some long-distance trains, such as the Howrah'Pune Duronto Express and Pune'Howrah Duronto Express, will be rerouted, while services like the Nizamuddin'Raigarh Gondwana Express will terminate at Bilaspur.

The railway administration has urged passengers to check the status of their trains through official channels before commencing their journeys.

Officials emphasised that while the disruptions may cause temporary inconvenience, they are essential for enhancing rail infrastructure and ensuring improved services in the future.

Once completed, the project is expected to significantly boost rail traffic capacity in the region, offering long-term benefits to commuters across Chhattisgarh.

/IANS