The first passenger train service from Bengaluru to New Delhi during the lockdown brought a smile on the faces of hundreds of passengers who were stranded in the city. They stood in long queues on the footpath of Gubbi Thodappa Road to enter the Sangolli Rayanna City Railway station premises.
The Railways had asked the passengers to report 90 minutes before the departure of the train, but many reached four hours in advance. Maintaining social distancing became difficult initially. Passengers had to undergo mandatory screening prior to boarding the train and they were also asked to download ‘Aarogya Sethu’ app. A total of 1,076 people booked tickets online. The train left the station at 8.30 p.m.
On concerns raised for operating AC coaches, SWR in a statement said that as per the Ministry of Health guidelines, AC coaches are designed to have a higher air replacement rate and replaces air 12 times per hour. Coaches will have temperature of 25 degrees Celsius during the journey.
Shramik Special trains
On Tuesday, the SWR operate several ‘Shramik Special Train’ services for migrant workers. Trains were operated from Chikkabanavara to Haridwar with 1,076 passengers, Malur to Danapur with 1,527 passengers, Chikkabanavara to Lucknow with 1,520 passengers, one more train from Chikkabanavara to Lucknow with 1,520 passengers, and Malur to Purulia (West Bengal) with 1,548 passengers on board.
