Bengaluru-Belagavi and Bengaluru-Mysuru are first two services
BENGALURU:
Intra-Karnataka passenger trains started plying again on Friday, nearly two months after trains across the country ground to a halt in the aftermath of the Covid-linked nationwide lockdown.
According to SWR, the Bengaluru-Belagavi tri-weekly train was the first to leave at 8 am, followed by a daily two-way train between Bengaluru and Mysuru which left the Bengaluru city railway station at 9.20 am.
The train from Bengaluru to Belagavi which departed at 8 am had a composition of 14 non air-conditioned chair cars and two luggage-cum-brake vans and had the seating capacity of 1,484 passengers. However, only 338 passengers had made reservations for the train of which 176 boarded here.
Against the capacity of 1,415 passengers in the Mysuru- bound train with 14 chair cars and two luggage-cum-brake vans, only 37 reserved passengers boarded from Bengaluru and 63 passengers arrived at the destination.
Similarly, only 59 passengers travelled from Mysuru in the return trip, according to details shared by the SWR.
HONOURING COVID WARRIORS.
— SouthWestern Railway (@SWRRLY) May 22, 2020
The FIRST INTRA STATE TRAIN OF KARNATAKA
after lockdown flagged off today by contact cleaning staff of Bengaluru Division Mrs. Munniyammal & Points Man Mr Nabi Ahmed.
These WARRIORS sanitise the station & ensure safety.@RailMinIndia @PiyushGoyalOffc pic.twitter.com/iP25dFfdNm
SWR stated: “First intra-state passenger train in India after March 22 started in South Western Railway. We are back to normal.”
The SWR release said passengers have to wear face masks and observe social distancing in the trains, which will stop at important stations en route.
Credit of 2nd intrastate passenger train after #lockdown also goes to #Karnataka!
— SouthWestern Railway (@SWRRLY) May 22, 2020
Connecting two important cities of Karnataka,#Bengaluru–#Mysuru daily train chugged out of KSR Bengaluru station
National Transporter is on passenger track again!@RailMinIndia @PiyushGoyalOffc pic.twitter.com/JToUopMi9F
Following Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa nod for resumption of intra-state rail services, the railways had given the green signal for two sets of trains between Bengaluru and Belagavi and between Bengaluru and Mysuru.
“We have opened reservation counters at major stations across Bengaluru. Ticket booking can be done from these booking offices now. All are advised to ensure social distancing and wearing of masks,” the SWR statement said. It gave credit to MoS for Railways Suresh Angadi for resumption of passenger train services in Karnataka.
Belgavi Railway station all getting prepared to welcome first Intra state passenger train of Karnataka from Bengaluru, after lockdown.@NewIndianXpress @drmubl #India #IndianRailways #Karnataka #Belagavi #Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/JUsAZsZS3a
— SouthWestern Railway (@SWRRLY) May 22, 2020
Normalcy returning slowly!
— SouthWestern Railway (@SWRRLY) May 22, 2020
As trains start running in phased manner and Reservation offices open, #Nation is beginning to reconnect slowly but steadily@drmsbc pic.twitter.com/PDtuYEUGVf
