The Centre is in consultation with state governments to evolve a plan to contain the attacks on railway property by the Maoists, union minister of state for railways, K H Muniyappa today said.

"A comprehensive plan will be undertaken in consultation with the state governments to protect the railways which the Maoists hold as soft-target," Muniyappa told reporters here.

To this end, union home minister, P Chidambaram had convenced a meeting of chief ministers of Maoist-hit states in New Delhi on July 14, he said.

While referring to inordinate delay in implementation of various rail projects in Bihar, he said the state government should come forward for cost-sharing of the delayed projects like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Jharkhand.

Muniyappa said an electric locoshed would be set up at Barauni for which Rs fifty crore would be spent.

The Railways, he said, had planned to spend Rs 790 crore for laying 86 km new rail line, broadgauge conversion in 28 kms and doubling of rail line on 72 kms during the current fiscal under the East Central Railway.

Regulation and short termination of trains

Bhubaneswar

Trains passing through Maoist-hit areas were cancelled and short terminated on the East Coast Railways (ECoR) in view of the two-day Bharat Bandh called by Maoists from today.

ECoR sources said the 8447 Bhubaneswar-Koraput Hirakhand Express which left Bhubaneswar yesterday will go to Koraput, but would return as an empty rake to Rayagada.

The 8448 Koraput-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express to leave Koraput today will run from Rayagada to Bhubaneswar and will be cancelled between Rayagada and Koraput.

The 8447/8448 Bhubaneswar-Koraput-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express leaving Bhubaneswar today will be short-terminated at Rayagada and will be cancelled between Rayagada and Koraput tomorrow, they said.

The 8005/8006 Howrah-Koraput-Howrah Samaleswari Express which left Howrah yesterday and and reached Rayagada today will be short terminated at Rayagada. The train will return to Howrah tomorrow. A similar procedure would be followed for the same train which left Howrah today.

The 8447/8448 Howrah-Koraput-Howrah Samaleswari Express will remain cancelled between Rayagada and Koraput, the sources said.

Similarly, 8107 Rourkela-Koraput Express arriving Koraput today will return to Rayagada as an empty rake and run as 8108 Koraput-Rourkela Express from Rayagada instead of Koraput. The train has been cancelled between Koraput and Rayagada.

The 8107 Rourkela-Koraput Express leaving Rourkela today and tomorrow will be short terminated at Rayagada and return as 8108 Koraput-Rourkela Express from Rayagada. The train will remain cancelled between Koraput and Rayagada.