Sub-urban train services resume after about 5 months following protocols

Kolkata: The sub-urban train service resumed in Bengal on Sunday after a span of five long months. This comes after the state government gave relaxation to run the same with passengers as per 50 percent seating capacity.

The trains have been run following the Covid protocols and the railway authorities have slapped fine to more than 200 people in Howrah and Sealdah divisions of the Eastern Railways for not using masks.

Usually, 920 and 488 trains run in the Sealdah and Howrah division respectively of the Eastern Railway on weekdays. "A bit less number of trains plied today as it was a Sunday. But the entire fleet will be in operation from Monday," said a railway spokesperson.

Being Sunday, there was no usual rush of weekdays. People were found travelling in the sub-urban trains maintaining physical distance. Apart from a few cases, people were also found to be aware of sitting, leaving one seat in between while travelling to their destinations. Railway authorities have put stickers on middle seats in a row urging people not to sit on it to maintain physical distance.

There was an announcement at every station using the public addressing system by the railways urging people to maintain physical distance, use masks and follow other Covid norms. The usual scene of Howrah and Sealdah station of people running to board a train to reach their destination was restored on Sunday morning. Even an elderly person fell down in an attempt to board a train at Howrah station.

The move of the state government to allow resumption of suburban train services has been welcomed by people from all walks and sections of life, including those who commute daily. People, mainly the daily passengers, were found to be visually happy getting back their usual mode of transport to reach their place of work and again return home at the end of the day. Bhabotoh Majumdar, who works the night shift as a security guard of a private company, said: "It came as a sigh of relief for people like us. We had to pay double to travel to our place of work by bus or shuttle cars".

"I would like to express my gratitude to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as she allowed sub-urban trains to run. The reason being the petrol price is close to Rs 110 a litre and it was becoming next to impossible to commute by bike to reach my place of work near Exide Crossing from Rishra," said an employee of a private company,

Somnath Bagui.

Trinamool Congress workers distributed sweets at Panagarh Station as the Chief Minister's move allowing resumption of suburban train services came as a relief for common people when petrol and diesel prices have skyrocketed.