Covid-19: SWR cancels 36 trains till March end

Bengaluru, March 19 (IANS) South Western Railway (SWR) on Thursday cancelled 32 trains till March end in the light of coronavirus busting summer itineraries of thousands of people, resulting in poor occupancy, an official said.

“The following trains are cancelled temporarily in view of poor occupancy due to the coronavirus outbreak,” said an SWR spokesperson, listing 36 trains.

According to the railway zone, the occupancy in some of the cancelled trains ranged between a low of 1.69 per cent and a maximum of 21.32 per cent.

Some of the destinations of the cancelled trains include Udaipur, Chennai, Hubballi, Manuguru, Kolhapur, Pandharpur, Belagavi, Renigunta and Kacheguda, among others.

Several of the trains were also plying within Karnataka.

Train travel peaks in the summer every year in India following the conclusion of the academic year at most educational institutions.

Several people are left high and dry across the country for failing get a reserved train ticket on long distance journeys.

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had extended the state lockdown till March 31 on Wednesday, shutting several activities and mass gatherings to avert the spread of Covid-19 spread.

The state is currently grappling with 15 positive cases, while 97 people are under observation for the pandemic across the state in various hospitals.

–IANS

sth/arm