Western Railway Zone to Increase Daily Suburban Services amid COVID-19

BY: ASHWATHY NAIR

• An increment in Daily special suburban services from 350 to 500 on Western Railway from 21 September.
• The purpose is to maintain social distancing and avoid overcrowding.
• 30 will be operated during peak hours of the morning and 29 services will be during peak hours of the evening.

Mumbai: Western Railways will increase suburban train services from 21 September, currently 350 trains are running on the tracks, it will be increased to a number of 500 trains. The suburban trains that are in operation currently, as per the state government orders,are for the use of front line staff as well as essential service workers. A QR code-empowered ticketing mechanism is in the facility for those who are in need to board the train.

On behalf of this, Sumit Thakur, WR Chief Public Relations Officer said in a statement that, amid COVID-19, social distancing will be taken care of, and to avoid overcrowding at trains, Western Railway has decided to come up with an idea of increasing the number of daily special suburban services from 350 trains to 500 trains from September 21, Monday.

Thakur also informed that, in the increased service trains, 30 trains will be running during the peak hours of the morning and 29 trains will be running at the peak hours of the evening.

The Ministry of Railways has intended to run 20 pairs of Clone Special trains, considering the enormous demand for travel on particular routes.The commuters will have to strictly follow the social distancing norms and while traveling in local trains, wearing a mask is compulsory.