After seven months suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, local train services were resumed for the first time on Wednesday in Howrah in Sealdah division with 311 and 413 trains respectively.
According to a report by Bengal daily Sangbad Pratidin, both Howrah and Sealdah stations witnessed usual hullabaloo during the peak hours with long queues outside ticket counter and scores of busy commuters moving towards their desired destination.
Reportedly, most of the passengers in Sealdah and Howrah were seen taking the required precautions. Also, incoming trains and suburban stations were yet to see big crowds. However, the number of people is expected to rise in upcoming days.
The Railways officials were also up to the task as no one was allowed inside the stations without thermal checking. Anyone with more-than-normal temperature would be isolated and taken to hospital for check-up.
Unlike metro, the railway platforms were bever heavily guarded, allowing passengers to commute without check. However, to bring an end to it, all the stations have been guarded with GRP and Police with limited entry and exit points for the commuters.
As per the earlier schedule, the first train, Diamond Harbour local, rolled out of the Sealdah at 3:45 AM. The first trains from Howrah were Bandel local and Burdwan local.
Meanwhile, the decision to begin the local train services was taken after three rounds of meeting between the West Bengal Government, Eastern Railways and Southern Railways and Police officials last week.
The commuters, as expected, have heaved a sigh of relief. The local trains were yet to be opened for general passengers, despite other modes of transportation running as usual. The railway, though, had been plying special local trains for its staff.
With the offices in Kolkata opening up after the lockdown, the workers travelling to and from the districts had been going through a nightmare on the road in the absence of the suburban trains, considered the lifeline of the southern part of West Bengal.
Requesting to immediately begin the local train service in Bengal, number of general passengers and hawkers knocked the doors of the railways officials. A written letter demanding the same has been handed over to Sealdah Station DRM and Eastern Railway’s Deputy General Manager.
Failing to get the attention of railway officials, large sections of general passengers decided to take law into their hand. In the last one month or so, protests were witnessed in various stations of south Bengal for either resuming train services for general passengers or staff specials be opened for them.
It was only after the widespread outrage that the government officials took cognisance of the situation and decided to begin the train services.