NEW DELHI: Emphasising on the resumption of more train services in the coming days to transport more people across the country, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that more trains will be announced soon to take India towards normalcy.
He also said that bookings of tickets will resume at 1.7 lakh common service centres from Friday.
The announcement comes a day after the Indian railways, which suspended the passenger, mail and express train services from March 25, announced to run 100 pairs of trains from June 1.
In a conversation with BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, Goyal said, “Will announce resumption of more trains as it is time to take India towards normalcy.”
The Minister added that bookings will also resume at the counters of different stations in the next two to three days.
“We are developing a protocol in this regard,” Goyal said.
Talking about the Shramik Special trains, Goyal said, “On May 20, 279 Shramik trains were run transporting over five lakh migrant labourers, students and trapped tourists to their homes.”
The railways started the Shramik Special trains to transport the stranded migrant workers, students, pilgrims and tourists from May 1.
Till date the national transporter has operated over 1,600 Shramik Special trains Shramik transported over 25 lakh people across the country.
Hitting out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Railway Minister said, “Till date we have been able to run only 27 trains in West Bengal. Till May 8 or 9, only two trains could reach there.”
The Railway Minister earlier has urged Banerjee and the Chief Ministers of other states to give clearance to the Shramik Special trains to transport the stranded migrant workers.
The national transporter also started to run the 15 pairs of Special AC trains from May 12.
On Thursday, the bookings for the 100 pairs of trains opened and in the first three hours the railways sold 1.78 lakh tickets for 4.23 lakh passengers in 76 trains.
The tickets are being booked online through the IRCTC website and its mobile application.
IANS