Merchants warn of price hikes due to bhanga rail yard's dire conditions

Officials from the Food Grains Merchants Association have warned of potential price hikes for essential goods if the dire conditions at Bhanga Rail Yard are not addressed promptly.

During a press conference held at the yard, association members highlighted the ongoing issues and inefficiencies, urging immediate action.

Representatives from merchants' associations across the three districts of Barak Valley were present.

Key problems include the removal of stones alongside the railway line, forcing merchants to pay exorbitant fees for panel unloading over the past two years. Despite continuous complaints, railway authorities have taken no action.

Additionally, the yard lacks an adequate power supply and has only one RPF officer, compromising safety and complicating nighttime loading operations. The yard operates 24/7 for unloading goods.

Merchants have repeatedly notified railway officials and MPs in writing, but no solutions have been provided. The association questioned why the railway department is reluctant to make necessary improvements despite generating significant monthly revenue.

If local administrations of the affected districts do not intervene, merchants warned they might be forced to increase prices.

Prominent merchants present at the press conference included former presidents Mulchand Baid and Pranab Pal Choudhury,

current president Asit Dutta, secretary Deepak Pal, Pawan Kumar Jain, Asit Kumar Jain from Karimganj, Sushil Agarwal, Rupan Modak from Lala, and Anupam Deb.

They emphasized the urgency of the situation and the need for immediate action to prevent further economic impact on essential goods.