Covid-19: Resumption of 11 pairs of train services in Chattogram yet to be decided
Four pairs of trains, including three intercity ones, on different routes from Chattogram to resume operation on Thursday
Representational photo. File Photo: UNB
Chattogram railway is expecting higher authorities to allow it to resume operations of eleven pairs of trains, out of 20 pairs usually run here, on different routes after a long suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Four pairs of passenger trains, including three intercity ones, will resume operation from August 27 to make services more functional on different routes.
At present, five pairs (one train to and from the same destination is considered one pair) are being operated from the Chattogram Railway station.
Train services resumed on May 31 with eight pairs of intercity trains, after maintaining health guidelines and social distancing.
Earlier, the government suspended public transportation services on railway and waterways on March 25 over the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sardar Shahadat Ali, general manager (additional duty) of Eastern Railway, told The Business Standard that four pairs of train operations will resume from Chittagong on August 27 maintaining government guidelines.
"We have not yet decided on resumption of operations of the remaining 11 pairs of trains. Renovation of wagons, coaches is going on in the workshop."
All intercity train tickets will be sold online. Only mail train tickets will be issued at the respective railway stations, he added.
The railway authorities gave 10 guidelines to operate the trains ─ these include 50 percent passengers against the capacity of each train, issuance of tickets five days before the journey and selling tickets online to ensure social distancing, not to take back the sold tickets, stop food supply in trains, halt blanket supply to first class passengers.
Sources at Eastern Railway said 18 pairs of trains will resume operations across the country on August 27. Of those, four pairs of intercity trains will run from Chittagong.
These are Paharika/Udayan Express on the Chattogram-Sylhet route and Sonar Bangla Express, Chattala Express and Mail Express on the Chattogram-Dhaka route.
Chittagong Railway Station Manager Ratan Kumar Chowdhury told The Business Standard that at present five pairs of trains run from here. Four more pairs of trains will resume services from August 27.
Chittagong Divisional Railway sources said the 11 pairs of trains include two pairs of intercity trains, two pairs of mail express and six pairs of commuter trains.
These are the Dhaka-bound Karnafuli Express, Sylhet-bound Jalalabad Express, Chandpur-bound Sagarika Express, Mail train Mymensingh Express, two pairs of Chittagong University-bound shuttle trains and three pairs of Nazirhat-bound commuter trains.
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