COVID-19: Special trains will ferry Indian Army troops from Bengaluru to north and eastern borders

Even as the train services have come to a grinding halt due to COVID-19, two special trains will depart from Bengaluru in the next two days to ferry the Indian Army troops to the northern and eastern borders.

The first train will depart on Friday and reach Jammu via Ambala. The second train, bound for Guwahati, will start on Saturday, sources told DH.

Only the military personnel, who underwent a 14-day quarantine and due to rejoin their units deployed in northern and eastern borders will travel. The move would also help decongest some of the training establishments at Bengaluru, Belgaum, Secundrabad, and Gopalpur.

The decision was taken keeping the Army’s operational preparedness in mind as there is no let-off from the terrorist activities and infiltration attempts along the Line of Control.

Army sources said the force was coordinating with the Indian Railways to explore the possibility of more such trains in the coming weeks.

The Army headquarters also issued “no movement” instructions to all establishments, cantonments, formation headquarters and units till April 19. Subsequently, the headquarter offices may start functioning at 50% strength.

Meanwhile, the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the efforts of 62 cantonment boards in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and asked the boards to ensure the highest standards of sanitation, hygiene, and fumigation specifically in the populated Civil Areas. He stressed that special care should be taken to provide food and shelter for the vulnerable sections of migrants.