Delhi: Virus halts most local passenger trains, those running are Covid risks

NEW DELHI: Sarvan Kumar has been travelling from Karnal in Haryana to Delhi and back every day on passenger trains for five years, having realised this was the cheapest and fastest way to reach the capital. However, with only one daily electric multiple unit (EMU) train now covering the route, the commute isn’t as easy as it was earlier. Others share the problem with Kumar. In the pandemic era, more than half the local passenger trains aren’t in service and thousands jostle to get a toehold in the crowded compartments. Daily commuters wish for normalising of the services without which social distancing is well-nigh impossible.
“Northern Railway says it is not running local passenger trains due to the pandemic, but things are returning to normal and the services have to be restored,” said Krishan Sharma, who commutes to Delhi daily on the Mathura-Ghaziabad 04419 EMU. “Quite often, there are over 500 people in a single coach because the train I catch is the only one from Mathura to Delhi. It is a problem not only because there is room even to stand with ease, but also because people often take off their masks in the train.”
Asked for a response, a railway official told TOI that the trains were suspended due to the Covid pandemic, but added that passenger and express train services were now being restored in phases. “It is true Northern Railway hasn’t restored the train services. Around 50% of the passenger trains and 85% of reserved trains are currently running. But gradually, more and more are being run again,” the official said. “Northern Railway is restoring the services as and when directives and approval are received from the Railway Board.”
Restricted schedules have put Sukhwinder Singh, who used to travel to Delhi from Fazilka in Punjab on the Fazilka-Delhi Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train, to some inconvenience. He now has to board another daily train from Bathinda instead since none is running from Delhi up to Fazilka. “The limited frequency of daily trains has added to my commute problems,” said Singh. “There is no train to and from Fazilka that runs daily and my only option is to get on one from Bathinda, which is two hours from Fazilka.”
According to Yogender Chauhan, president of the Dainik Rail Yatri Sangh, the Rewari-Delhi route also has only one daily passenger train running — one that leaves the Haryana town as early as 5.30am. “The Sri Ganganagar-Delhi train used to carry daily passengers but has now been converted into a reserved train. Why would an office goer board a train at 5.30am? But there is no alternative,” said Chauhan.
Balkrishan Ambarsariya, another commuter on the route, revealed that owing to the odd timings of the train, he takes a bus home in the evenings. “By the time office is over, the only passenger train has already left for Rewari,” he said ruefully. Because of the limited services, overcrowding has become a bane for commuters. Lakshay Nahriya travels daily on the Delhi-Panipat EMU. “People have to hang on to the doors,” he said.