BETTIAH, Jan. 31 -- Ever heard of a journey -- often described as too short to finish a cup of tea -- turning into a major logistical nightmare? Believe it or not, a mere 22-kilometre stretch between Narkatiaganj and Gaunaha stations has become virtually that. Encountering a whopping 18 road level crossings, peppered with absence of gatemen at these gates, railway staff are compelled to deboard the trains repeatedly to regulate road traffic for the train for the past several months in Bihar's West Champaran in their bid to pass the train safely on the section. According to officials, the journey, which should ordinarily be covered by a 30-minute of a train's run, is only managed in 90 minutes -- about thrice the time it requires -- owing to problems stemming from the absence of gatemen at the all 18 unmanned road level crossing falling along the stretch, much of which passes through the areas forested by Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR). "We have got gate lodge, house interlocking equipment and gate boom (a movable barrier to close road traffic) at each road level crossing gate. Nonetheless, we are running the trains with the help of onboard staffers to close and reopen the gates," Mohammed Kalim, station superintendent of Narkatiaganj junction, said. He said that the need for the same is necessitated owing to the absence of gatemen deployment. An early winter morning at Pakri Dhala level crossing offers a telling glimpse of the ordeal. Minutes after the morning passenger train leaves Narkatiaganj junction at 6.15 am, the train slows down to a crawl before screeching to a grinding halt. A railway staffer jumps out of the locomotive and hobbles towards the gate as fast as possible. As per railway rules on Narkatiaganj-Gaunaha section, the train driver is required to stop before each crossing, regulate road traffic, close the gates and then cautiously move the train. Once the train passes, the guard jumps out of his cabin to reopen the gates before boarding the train, the Narkatiaganj station superintendent said. This laborious and risky drill almost after every one kilometer has become the defining feature of the two passenger trains, shuttling daily between Narkatiaganj and Gaunaha under the East Central Railway zone since March 2024, said railway staffers. Railway employees, speaking on the condition of anonymity, describe the rail services on the section as a Herculean task. "Yes, we do have to withstand immense pressure. Our job is to run the train safely and obviously not to regulate the road traffic. But then, we have no other choice," said a staffer. "It is stressful and dangerous," said another. The section assumes significance more because it connects the remote part of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) which also borders Nepal. Nonetheless, the locals look far from being enthused. "More than anything else, it tests a traveller's patience as the train plies with stoppage at every one kilometre," said Vivek Kumar, a resident of Gaunaha, a regular commuter to Narkatiaganj....