Telangana CM opposes resumption of train services

New Delhi, May 11: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has expressed fears that resuming train services can spread the coronavirus, and screening of passengers will be difficult.

Tamil Nadu CM Palanisamy, Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel also echoed similar views.

"We are fully prepared to tackle the situation; train services should not be allowed, we want Centre to devise proper strategy and put train service to be on hold," said the chief minister at the meeting with prime minister Narendra Modi on lockdown exit plan.

Citing increasing COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Monday came out against resumption of passenger train services in the state till May 31.

Participating in a video conference held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chief Ministers, he also urged the former not to allow regular air services till the month-end in the state, where the number of coronavirus cases has crossed the 7,000 mark, an official release said here.

"We know from media that regular train service to Chennai (from Delhi) and from Chennai will commence from May 12. As the positive cases in Chennai are showing an increasing trend,don't permit train service up to 31.5.2020, in my state," Palanisamy told Modi.

"I request you not to begin regular air services till 31.5.2020," the release quoted the Chief Minister as having further said.

The Indian Railways is planning to gradually restart passenger train operations from May 12.

Initially, all air-conditioned services will begin on 15 Rajdhani routes and the fare would be equivalent to that of the super-fast train.

The special trains will run from New Delhi to Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi.