Srinagar, Aug 29: The present Kashmir unrest has hit the train services across the Valley. No train has run on any of the routes for the past 29-days.
 Northern Railway had suspended its operations on 119-kilometre Qazigund-Varmul track on July 31 and since then it has been waiting for normalcy to return.
 Near1y 138 non-local employees who were sent on leave have returned but there seems no immediate hope about railway services resuming.
 Sources told Greater Kashmir, that General Manager Northern Railways Shailendra Kumar Budhalakoti had met the Director General of Police Khuldeep Khuda and Chief Secretary S S Kapur last week. “The DGP and the Chief Secretary told Kumar that services cannot be resumed till situation improves,” they added.
 It is understood that Railways had sought protection for its properties and men from the state government. The government, according to sources, expressed its helplessness saying, “Our immediate priority is restoration of law and order.”
 The Railway Protection Force and state police provide security to train services with former manning 15 stations and latter tracks. The paramilitary CRPF also provides assistance in protection of stations.
 Talking to Greater Kashmir, the Chief Public Relation Officer Northern Railways Manish Tiwari said they were keen to restore services. “Some kind of semblance of normalcy is needed to repair the damages,” he added.
 He said railway property had suffered damages to the tune of Rs 4 crore.
 With fleet of 10 trains, Northern Railways started operations in the valley in 2008 on Qazigund- Budgam track and further extended it to Varmul in 2009.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST