Railway denies role in illegal transportation of sand from Odisha

Cuttack: A day after illegal transportation of sand in railway wagons from Nirgundi station in Odisha’s Cuttack district was reported, Railway have denied its role in it.

“It has come to our notice from different media sources that Railway has been involved in the illegal transportation of sand at Nirgundi Railway station yesterday. But the fact is that Manjeet Chawla of Kaityani Contractors Pvt. Ltd, a cement trader, has booked 59 wagons (one rake goods train) on July 6 this year and another 59 wagons of sand on the following day for transportation of sand from Nirgundi to Phephana in Uttar Pradesh and deposited two demand drafts of Rs. 52,500 each,” Railway said in a release.

The consigner Manjeet Chawla, entered into trading agreement with his business partner Aman Sethi who executed lease agreement with Tehasildar, Barang as per OMM rule-2016 for excavation of sand. Out of 59 wagons of first rake, only four wagons were loaded yesterday at Nirgundi which has not yet been transported and lying at Nirgundi Station, it added.

Railway is a transportation organization with objective to carry consignment. If any person tender forwarding note under section 64 of Indian Railway Act, Railway has to accept the same for transportation. Nowhere sand as consignment has been banned/restricted for transportation by Rail under commercial rule, it further said.