In view of a surge in COVID-19 cases, the Eastern Central Railway (ECR) has announced it will suspend 23 pairs of trains from April 29.
“Movement of 23 pairs of passenger trains for short distances would be suspended in the state from April 29 till further notice in view of surging COVID-19 positive cases and poor occupancy of passengers as well”, Rajesh Kumar, Chief Public Relations Officer, ECR, said.
However, no decision has been taken yet on movement of long-distance express trains, added Mr. Kumar.
The trains that would be suspended from Thursday include Patna-Gaya, Patna-Deen Dayal Upadhayay, Muzaffarpur-Patliputra, Muzaffarpur-Narkatiganj, Muzaffarpur-Raxaul, Samastipur-Muzaffarpur, Patna-Barauni, Patna-Danapur-Rajgir and Patna-Bhabhua inter-city trains.
As many as 3,884 employees and officials of ECR have been infected with COVID-19. Of them, 1,891 are still under treatment, while 50 have died over the last year.
“The ECR has set up a COVID-19 fund to help its staff battling with the pandemic disease. Efforts are on to set up helpline centres at all divisions of the ECR”, said Mr. Kumar.
Bihar has been reeling under the COVID-19 surge, with over 10,000 people getting infected every day, while recording tolls of 70-90. On Tuesday, it recorded 85 deaths and 12,604 new positive cases in a day.
There has been a huge scarcity of oxygen, beds in hospitals and anti-viral drugs at pharmacists in the State, though the government has said it is making all necessary efforts to improve the situation.
Space crunch at crematorium grounds too has worsened the situation for kin of victims.
