Guwahati, (Assam): As evening descends over northeast trains chug into the nearest station calling it a day.

Even with home only a couple of hours, one would have to spend the night at a station where the train has moved in following the sunset for the wheels would roll again after day-break.

The NF railway authorities have suspended the running of all night trains because of the rising militancy and ultras attacking passenger trains finding them soft targets.

For the past fortnight every evening the hitherto quiet station of New Bongaigaon in lower Assam becomes a center of din as every long distance train is short terminated there for the night to resume their journey again at the crack of dawn and reach Guwahati at seven in the morning.

The Railway is helpless specially after the back-to-back bomb blasts on the trains killing 12 innocent people just before the Independence Day celebration.

''It is because of the militant's threat to the night trains the suspension of night trains have been extended up to August 31'' says Utpal Parana Hazarika, the CPRO NF Railway.

Even the Rajdhani Express is not spared. ''It reached just 18 minutes past six O'clock at New Bongaigaon on Tuesday. It was stopped. It restarted at 0450 hrs next morning and reached Guwahati 0710 hrs '' says a senior officer of the GM (Construction) of the NF Railway. His own family was coming in the train. He is not blaming the railways. He is cursing the militants.

It has been a harrowing time for the passengers who travel thousands of km only to be stopped just hours short of their destination and stay put for the whole night, sometimes hungry.

''As far as Rajdhani is concerned it is better. At least they keep on running the Airconditioner and provide you food. But for others coming in North East Express, Avadh Assam or Saraighat Express it is harrowing time,'' said Abhijieet Barua, returning from Delhi with ailing mother swearing only to travel after the opening of the second line on January one next year.

The NF railways have regulated the time so that the passengers do not face problems. But if the trains run late and reach Bongaigaon after 1800 hrs it is stuck for the night, said another passenger.

The suspension was necessitated following the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) ultras detonating the tracks often.

But whatever amount of time it takes to reach home for most of the passengers it is 'better late than never'.

UNI