Train service suspension extended till June 23

Srinagar, June 16: Even as the number of Covid-19 cases has seen a sharp decrease in Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities on Wednesday extended the suspension of the 137-kilometre Banihal-Baramulla train services till June 23.

After witnessing normal operations for almost three months, the train services had been suspended on May 10 after Covid situation had worsened.

   

The decision to continue suspension of train service comes at a time when the Valley is witnessing gradual reopening of a strict Covid lockdown witnessed during May.

Chief Area Manager (CAM), Northern Railways, Kashmir, Saqib Yousuf told Greater Kashmir that as per an order issued the rail service will remain in suspension mode till June 23.

Earlier, railway service in the Valley had remained suspended for almost 11 months owing to the situation arising out of the first wave of Covid-19. The resumption of the service in February this year had brought cheer to the travellers. However, in April hundreds of passengers could be seen flouting the Covid-19 SOPs by not maintaining the social distance at the railway platforms.

Many pictures had gone viral on social media showing people not following guidelines during boarding and de-boarding. Many of the travellers could also be seen not wearing the facemasks properly. The rush of passengers at the Srinagar railway station in April end was so much that crowd control had become difficult.

The train in Kashmir had also remained suspended in 2019 for several months after the government of India scrapped the special constitutional status of J&K. Frequent suspension of train service has caused railways losses worth crores of rupees.

As per railway officials, prior to Covid-19, 15 pairs of trains ran from Banihal to Baramulla and carried almost 30,000 commuters including students and government employees.

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