No decision on resuming train services yet: Railways

Amidst the railway zones making preparation to resume passenger trains after the lockdown ends on April 14, top railway officials on Saturday said that the government has not taken any decision on restoration of services.

The Railway Board, the highest decision-making body of the national transporter, will decide on it in a few days.

“Train services will have to be resumed only on specific approval of each train from Railway Board. It will be a phase-wise resumption of services,” said a railways official.

This decision was taken in a video conference of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal with the Chairman, Railway Board on Friday, the official said. Trains, however, will begin operations only after receiving a green signal from the government which has formed a Group of Ministers (GoM) on the issue.

Though railways will allow the booking of advance reservation tickets of trains after April 15, the decision on resumption of the services is yet to be taken, said the officials.

The Railway Board will
send a complete action plan to zones on the resumption of operations soon, the official added.

However, all the zonal railways are preparing time tables to resume the train operation. Some of the zones asked the staff to resume the duty on April 15.