ER, SER, NFR cancels several trains in view of 'Janata Curfew'

The Eastern and South Eastern Railway has canceled all mail/express trains originating from the two zones between 4 am and 10 pm on Sunday in view of 'Janata Curfew' for the prevention of COVID-19 spread, but will run skeletal local train services on the day, officials said on Saturday. An SER official said that all passenger trains originating within its jurisdiction between midnight Saturday and 10 pm on Sunday will also remain canceled.

However, 32 EMU local trains in Howrah-Midnapur, Howrah-Amta, Panskur-Haldia, and Panskura-Digha suburban section will run as bare minimum essential service, SER spokesman Sanjay Ghosh said. An Eastern Railway spokesman said that all mail/express and intercity trains originating between 4 am and 10 pm on Sunday will remain canceled owing to the 'Janata Curfew'.

All passenger trains, including conventional MEMU and DEMU, in Eastern Railway, originating between Saturday midnight and 10 pm on Sunday will also remain canceled, ER spokesman Nikhil Chakraborty said. However, the passenger trains already running at 7 am on Sunday will be allowed to reach their destinations, he said.

Chakraborty said that 341 suburban trains will run on the Howrah division and 500 local trains will run on the Sealdah division on Sunday. However, considering the situation and inflow of passengers, the number of cancellations and running of EMU local trains may be modified corresponding to requirement and demand of the situation, he said.

The Metro Railway will run 54 trains on Sunday, instead of the normal 124 services, its spokesperson Indrani Banerjee said. These trains will run at the 30-minute intervals, she said.

Instead of 50 services, the East-West Metro will run 34 services, Banerjee said. Meanwhile, North East Frontier Railways on Saturday announced that several long-distance, local and Intercity trains will remain canceled on Sunday during the 'Janata Curfew' from 7 am to 9 pm.

NF Railway spokesperson Subhanan Chanda said that local passenger trains originating between Saturday midnight and 10 pm on Sunday will remain canceled All long-distance mail and express trains along with intercity trains originating between 4 am and 10 pm on Sunday will also remain canceled. However, trains already on the run at 7 am on Sunday will continue their journey to their respective destinations.

Trains with low occupancy have already been canceled, he said. Cancellations of trains are expected to restrict the spread of the virus, Chanda said.

NF Railway is taking all precautionary steps to discourage people from going on non-essential journeys and concessional tickets for senior citizens have been also canceled, he said. NF Railway is also encouraging social distancing for the safety of passengers and also to restrict the spread of the virus, Chanda added.