Congress welcomes decision to restart rail services

Congress on Monday (May 11) welcomed the decision of the Centre to “cautiously” resume inter-state passenger trains and pitched for a similar “modest reopening” of air and road travel.

“We welcome the decision of the government to cautiously start operations of interstate passenger trains. The same modest opening should be started with road transport and air transport,” senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said.

“The only way economic and commercial activity can effectively begin is to open road, rail and air services for passengers and goods,” the former Finance Minister said.

However, a young Congress functionary Radhika Khera objected to Chidambaram’s remarks and accused Railway Minister Piyush Goyal of laying foundations for a disaster by resuming railway services in a limited manner.

“4213 cases, highest spike so far, Yet Narendra Modi ji has relaxed the lockdown. With countries like South Korea & Germany going back to lockdown after seeing a 2nd Wave post opening up, India refuses to learn from others' mistakes. Piyush Goyalji why lay foundations for a disaster,” Khera, AICC Media Coordinator, said.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury criticised the Modi government's decision to resume AC trains as an “elitist and anti-people” move.

“The decision to resume only AC train service on selected routes is elitist & anti-people. It’s the poor & not so well-off who need it the most, who use it the most. This speaks volumes about the apathy & disdain with which Modi govt treats the average Indian & at a time like this,” Yechury said.