In view of the increasing Covid-19 positive cases in the State, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy on Thursday wrote to Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav to minimise operation of coaching trains in the State with immediate effect till July-end.  

Stating that a majority of the corona cases in the State have travel history to Delhi, Howrah, Mumba, the Chief Secretary recommended the Railway Board Chairman to adopt the following measures for operation of coaching trains so as to contain the disease.

(1) No increase of any coaching trains, either originating/terminating or passing through with stoppages in Odisha, be permitted beyond the current level of operations till July 31

(2) Any further new trains introduced between stations outside the state and passing through may not be given any stoppage in Odisha.

(3) The occupation of Special Mail express trains require to be factored and frequency of the existing trains to Delhi and Howrah/ Sealdah may be reduced from the present level.

(4) Stoppages of currently running Howrah Chennai Mail be limited to Baleswar, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Khurda Road and Brahmapur railway stations. And stoppages of Howrah-Mumbai Express train be limited to Rourkela and Jharsuguda railway stations (Barbil permitted for the branch line). All other stoppages for originating as well as through trains to be withdrawn till July 31.

(5) Only Intercity and other intra-state trains may operate with all stoppages as notified earlier.

Currently, Odisha is dealing with six pairs of terminating Coaching Mail/Express Special Trains and four pairs of such special trains passing the state with various stoppages in Odisha. Besides, intercity coaching trains have also been permitted within the state, the letter stated.