Post-lockdown, 65 % Mail/Express trains are back on track: India Railway

India Railway has been gradually restoring train services on all its routes across the country since the unlocking process started on June 1, 2020.

When the lockdown was announced on February 25, all the passenger train services were completely stopped. Only goods trains were operated to transport essential commodities.

On June 1, when the unlocking process began, Railway partially started its services with 200 passenger trains under strict Covid-19 protocols.

Today, on January 25, 1138, mail and express including Festival Express trains, which are run during important festivals, are back on track on daily basis in all the railway zones across the country. Before the lockdown, the railway used to run 1768 mail and express train on daily basis.

Taking into account the present number of Mail/Express trains engaged in passenger services, it makes 65 percent of the total strength.

The Ministry plans to bring back all the trains in the coming months so that the passenger services are normalised across the country.

In a press statement released to the media, the Railway says, “It is noteworthy that total 115 pairs of Mail/Express train have been approved so far in month of January 2021.”

It added, “ In addition, currently Indian Railways is operating total 4807 Suburban Train Services per day in different Zones of Indian Railways. In pre-covid period, average 5881 Suburban Train services was operational.”

So far as passenger trains are concerned, out of 3634 passenger trains that used to run in the pre-Covid period, 196 are back into services and operational in various railway zones.