Rlys to run two special trains for the army: military sources

Despite its passenger services suspended till May 3 amid the country-wide lockdown, the Indian Railwyas will be running two special trains this week from Bangalore to ferry army personnel for their border duty, military sources said on Thursday.

The sources said the Home Ministry has given the approval to run a train on the Bangalore - Belgaum- Secundrabad - Ambala- Jammu route on April 17, and another one on April 18 on the Bangalore - Belgaum- Secundrabad - Gopalpur - Howrah - NJP Guwahati route.

The sources said the special trains would be run to meet the operational requirements of the northern and eastern borders during the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

"Only personnel due to rejoin units in northern and eastern borders and who have undergone mandatory quarantine period or found medically fit will be accommodated.

"Further coordination with ministry of railways is in progress for planning additional trains in coming weeks, the source said.

Railway sources said in the two special trains, railways will maintain the social distancing norms prescribed by the health ministry due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Currently, the Railways is only running freight and parcel trains to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential goods. The suspension of passenger services will be effective till May 3.

According to Union health Ministry, the death toll due to coronavirus rose to 414 and the number of cases to 12,380 in the country on Thursday. While the number of active COVID-19 cases is 10,477, as many as 1,488 people have been cured and discharged and one had migrated, it said.