The Howrah railway terminal remained completely closed to traffic on Saturday as nearly 800 employees took over the station and its surrounding yard to install a Root Relay Interlocking system.

A railway spokseman said work for the new RRI began Friday midnight and will continue till 0600 IST Sunday.

"Although we are facing problems owing to sporadic spells of rain, we can say by the manner in which the work is progressing we shall be able to complete it on schedule," he said.

The usually bustling Howrah station wore a deserted look.
 
Installation of the new RRI involves replacement of long stretches of overhead equipment, track circuiting and upgradation of the signalling system, the spokesman said and added that the new RRI comprising 176 signals will be able to handle traffic in 1134 routes.

The RRI was last upgraded in 1965, enabling traffic handling in 625 routes through 148 signals.

The Eastern Railway is running EMU services to and from Liluah, Belur, Bali, Seoraphuli and Bandel stations, the spokesman said.

Eight pairs of local trains are being run between Bardhaman and Sealdah, he added. While four of these will operate via
Naihati, the remaining four will run via Dankuni.

The ER has also diverted four long distance trains to Sealdah from their original destination Howrah. These include the Poorva Express, the Amritsar Mail, the Jodhpur Express, and the Agniveena Express.

The Poorva is scheduled to leave from Sealdah tomorrow at its usual departure time.

The South Eastern Railway sources said that most of its long distance trains were being short-terminated at Santragachi, about 8 km from Howrah.