Trial runs done, train services in Kashmir likely to resume today

Srinagar: Two trial runs on Srinagar-Banihal railway line were conducted successfully on Saturday, paving the way for the resumption of full services in Kashmir Valley from Sunday, more than three months after they were suspended due to security reasons, officials said.

The trial runs, through the restive south Kashmir, were done after a thorough safety audit of the section, a railway official said.

He said rail services in the Valley should be fully operational from Sunday.

"The train service on Srinagar-Banihal route will resume on Sunday and it is being restored for the public fully for the first time after it was suspended due to security reasons," he said.

Train services in the Valley were suspended on August 3, ahead of the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcate the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories.

Services partially resumed on Srinagar-Baramulla stretch on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the situation limped back to normalcy in Kashmir and the annual examinations of students in the middle classes began on Saturday.

"The annual examinations for classes five to nine started this morning," an official said.