JOIN USIndian Railways to operate extra trains from high-demand areas
Insisting that its services will not be curtailed, the Indian Railways on Friday said that it is planning to operate additional trains this month and in May from high-demand areas Mumbai, Surat, Delhi, Karnataka towards Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
At present, 1,490 special trains on average per day are being operated, which is 70% restoration of passenger services, Suneet Sharma, Chairman and CEO, Railway Board, told reporters here.
Sharma said the national transporter is keeping a close watch on all stations in Mumbai, Gujarat, Karnataka and wherever the demand is high and the zonal general managers have been authorised to operate more trains.
“I assure you that there is no dearth of services, the situation is quite normal, particularly in Mumbai, Surat and Bengaluru,” he said.
The national transporter is also planned to operate additional 140 special trains with 483 trips this month and next month from Maharashtra, Karnataka and other states for destinations like Gorakhpur, Patna, Darbhanga, Varanasi, Guwahati, Manduadih, Barauni, Prayagraj, Ranchi, Lucknow Kolkata and Bhagalpur.
Insisting that no states have asked the Railways to stop trains, Sharma said some states, including Odisha and Uttarakhand, had earlier asked for checking passengers before boarding.
To ensure safety, Railways randomly checks passengers, uses thermal guns for checking fever, providing only ready to eat meals.
So far 70% of trains are under operation he said, adding that out of the total 11,282 trains in the pre-Covid period, 7,824 are operational at present. Among long-distance mail and express, 84% of trains are running, he said.
On the demand for Covid Care coaches, he said Namburdar district in Maharashtra has sought 90.
At present 4,000 Covid Care coaches are ready with railways and stationed at 126 locations across the country. As and when the states demand it, same will be provided to them, he said.