Rlys run nine special trains to transport stranded people
Kolkata: In a bid to ferry people including migrant workers and tourists stranded at various places due to nationwide lockdown, special trains departed from Howrah and Shalimar station on Monday.
"South Eastern Railway is running nine pairs of Special Trains (UP & Down)originating from Howrah, Shalimar, Tatanagar and Ranchi towards Mumbai, Yesvantpur, Bhubaneswar, Ahmedabad, Secunderabad, Danapur, Barbil and Patna with effect from June 1, 2020. These Special Trains are running as per the existing route, timings, stoppages and compositions of regular Mail/Express, Duronto and Jan Shatabdi trains," said an official of South Eastern Railway.
He reiterated that 02073 Howrah-Bhubaneswar Express Special and 02366 Ranchi-Patna Express Special Trains will run as per revised timings with effect from June 2, 2020.
"02073 Howrah-Bhubaneswar Express Special leaving Howrah at 14:25 hrs will reach Bhubaneswar at 9:20 pm on the same day. 02366 Ranchi-Patna Express Special leaving Ranchi at 3:25 pm will reach Patna at 11:20 pm on the same day," pointed out the official. Only asymptomatic passengers were allowed to travel. However, the Shramik special trains coming to Bengal from different states are running very late and at times not traceable. Most of the trains that were earlier scheduled to terminate at Howrah station aligned at Dankuni and other stations.
The Railway authority, when contacted, did not comment on the issue.
Eastern Railway had also started running eight pairs (Up and Down) from Monday. Some of them are 02377/02378 Sealdah - New Alipurduar –Sealdah special, 02357/02358 Kolkata – Amritsar- Kolkata bi-weekly special , 02307/02308 Howrah – Jodhpur – Howrah special , 02381/02382 Howrah – New Delhi -- Howrah tri-weekly (via-Gaya) special , 02303/02304 Howrah – New Delhi - Howrah (via-Patna) special (4 days a week), 02201/02202 Sealdah – Bhubaneswar – Sealdah (tri-weekly) special , 02023/02024 Howrah – Patna – Howrah special (except Sunday) and 02213 /02214 Shalimar – Patna – Shalimar (tri-weekly) special train.