Rail passengers in Chhattisgarh are set to face travel disruptions as the South East Central Railway (SECR) has cancelled eight MEMU and passenger trains on July 22 and 23 due to infrastructure work on the Bhatapara–Hathbandh section in the Raipur Division.

The services have been suspended to facilitate non-interlocking (NI) work required for the commissioning of an automatic signalling system on the third railway line. Railway officials said the work is part of an ongoing infrastructure development programme aimed at improving operational efficiency and increasing line capacity.

Third-Line Project Behind the Disruption

According to SECR, the third-line project between Bhatapara and Hathbandh is progressing rapidly, and the current phase involves installing and commissioning automatic signalling equipment. During the non-interlocking work, train operations on the affected section will remain restricted, leading to temporary cancellations.

Railway authorities said the infrastructure upgrade is expected to improve train movement and reduce congestion on one of the region's busiest rail corridors once completed.

Trains Cancelled on July 22

The following trains will remain cancelled on 22 July:

• Train No. 68728 – Raipur–Bilaspur MEMU Passenger
• Train No. 68734 – Bilaspur–Gevra Road MEMU Passenger
• Train No. 68733 – Gevra Road–Bilaspur MEMU Passenger
• Train No. 68719 – Bilaspur–Raipur MEMU Passenger
• Train No. 58203 – Korba–Raipur Passenger
• Train No. 58204 – Raipur–Korba Passenger
• Train No. 68746 – Raipur–Gevra Road MEMU Passenger

Train Cancelled on July 23

• Train No. 68745 – Korba–Raipur MEMU Passenger

Jharsuguda–Gondia MEMU to Be Short-Terminated

Railway authorities have also announced changes to the 68862/68861 Jharsuguda–Gondia–Jharsuguda MEMU service.

On 22 July, the train will terminate at Bilaspur and begin its return journey from the same station. As a result, services between Bilaspur and Gondia in both directions will remain cancelled for the day.

Passengers Advised to Check Train Status

With several local and regional passenger services affected, commuters travelling between Bilaspur, Raipur, Korba, Gevra Road and Gondia have been advised to verify the latest train status before starting their journey.

Railway officials have said the temporary inconvenience is necessary to complete the signalling upgrade, which is expected to improve safety, operational efficiency and capacity on the route in the long run.