Railways' focus on mask to ensure people's safety

Amarjot Kaur

Chandigarh, January 17

Unlike the measures taken during the previous waves of the pandemic, when passenger trains were terminated, the Ambala Division of the Northern Railway is riding the third Covid wave with just one mandate – wear a mask. Last month, the division challaned a total of 176 passengers for travelling without mask and collected a fine of Rs35,650 from them.

The number of passengers boarding trains has still not come up to the point that used to be before the pandemic. People are travelling, but not much. There is fear among them. — GM Singh, DRM, Ambala Division

“So far, the Railway Ministry has not issued any guidelines on the functioning of passenger trains. We have not been told anything about the train occupancy. However, we are strictly ensuring public safety by issuing challans to those who are not wearing masks,” said GM Singh, DRM, Ambala Division.

“The number of passengers boarding trains has still not come up to the point that used to be before the pandemic. People are travelling, but not that much. There is a certain fear among them,” he said.

Way back in 2020, with the announcement of lockdown, all passenger trains were terminated in March, except ‘sharamik trains’ that were run free of cost for migrant labourers. Slowly, by the end of the year, passenger trains were being run in a phased manner. Till June 2021, only 10 pairs of passenger trains were plying over the city railway station. Before the second wave, the station accommodated 16 pairs of trains. However, before Covid, 35 pairs of trains plied over the station. At present, all trains are back on their route and running without any limit on occupancy.