Local train services resume in Bengal after over 7 months

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    Kolkata, Nov 11 (PTI) Suburban train services resumed
in West Bengal on Wednesday after more than seven months, with
authorities maintaining a strict vigil and passengers largely
adhering to the COVID-19 protocol.
    The local train services under the jurisdiction of the
Eastern and the South Eastern Railways resumed early in the
morning. They were suspended in March following the COVID-19
outbreak.
    The EMU trains were not choc-a-bloc as was the usual
scene during pre-COVID times but the passenger footfall is
expected to increase gradually, as the inexpensive public
transport is preferred by many people living in the suburbs.
    The railway authorities have requested the passengers
to conform to the COVID-19 protocol and made the wearing of
masks mandatory for entering stations or trains.
    Apart from alternate seating arrangements in coaches
with every other seat being cross-marked for maintaining a
physical distance between two passengers, the railways have
made spot markings for queueing of the commuters at all
important places including platforms and booking counters.
    Passengers expressed happiness over the resumption of
the local train services, saying it will not only reduce their
journey time but also save money.
    "I had to change two buses to reach my office at
Sector V in the Salt Lake area. It used to take me double time
than train journey duration. Also, I had to shell out more
money on travel as it is a health risk to board overcrowded
buses," Sanjay Dutta from Kalyani in Nadia district said.
    Commuters also sought an increase in the number of
trains to ensure that the coaches are not crowded.
    "Increasing the number of trains will mean lesser
passengers in each coach, which will help in maintaining
physical distancing," Papia Banerjee, a daily commuter from
Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district to Esplanade in central
Kolkata said.
    The Eastern Railway is operating 413 suburban trains
in Sealdah division and 202 in Howrah division from Wednesday,
an official said.
    To avoid overcrowding of trains, 148 of 177 time-
tabled services are being run during peak hours, he said.
    The South Eastern Railway is running 81 daily services
from Wednesday, with 40 EMU locals in the up direction and 41
in the down direction, a spokesperson of the railway zone
said. PTI AMR
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)