Eight trains cancelled due to low occupancy

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, March 19

In the wake of advisory to cut down use of mass public transport due to threat of Covid-19, the volume of railway passengers has been going down with each passing day as most family functions, gatherings and religious congregations were being put on hold. Owing to persistent low occupancy, the Railways has decided to temporarily cancel eight trains till further orders.

In another related development, several trains would remain cancelled, diverted, rescheduled and regulated due to traffic and power block on March 20 and 21 for execution of infrastructure development works at Raju Garhi station between Sandal Kalan and Ganaur as well as between Sabzi Mandi and Ambala Cantt railway stations.

The trains cancelled by the Railways include 14035/36 Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Pathankot-Delhi Sarai Rohilla Dhauladhar Express, 12047/48 New Delhi-Ferozepur Cantt-New Delhi Shatabdi Express, 01707/08 Jabalpur-Attari-Jabalpur Special Express and 1709/10 Jabalpur-Attari-Jabalpur Special Express.

Due to traffic and power block to be taken by the railways for infra work, the pairs of 12459/60 New Delhi-Amritsar-New Delhi Intercity Express and 12057/58 New Delhi-Una-New Delhi Janshatabdi Express, along with 10 passenger trains on New Delhi-Panipat-Kurukshetra-Ambala Cantt would remain cancelled on March 21.

Further, 14649 Jaynagar-Amritsar Saryu Yamuna Express (on March 20), 15708 Amritsar-Katihar Amrapali Express and 14732 Fazilka-Delhi Express trains (on March 21) would be diverted via alternative routes. Besides, 12925 Bandra Terminus-Amritsar Pashchim Express, 12379 Sealdah-Amritsar Jallianwala Bagh Express, 12715 Nanded-Amritsar Sachkhand Express (all on March 20) and 12716 Amritsar-Nanded Sachkhand Express (on March 21) would be rescheduled for late departure by 1.30 to 3 hrs. The 1751 Nanded-Jammu Tawi Humsafar Express would be regulated for 60 minutes between Palwal and New Delhi on March 20.

Awareness campaign

Ludhiana Railway Station Director Tarun Kumar said a massive awareness campaign had been launched to educate people about precautions against Covid-19 through announcements, pamphlets and posters. Trains passing through the city were being sanitised and there was special focus on areas where chances of infection were high. As another precautionary step, the lift and escalators where floor buttons and railing could prove carriers of infection, were suspended for the time being.

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