Train service restarts in Kashmir

Srinagar, Mar 21 (UNI) Train service resumed on Thursday after remaining suspended on Wednesday for security reasons in the Kashmir valley, where separatists had called for a general strike in protest against the alleged custodial death of a principal of a local private school in Awantipora in Pulwama on March 19.

We have resumed all train runs in the Kashmir valley today after receiving a fresh advisory from divisional administration and police last night, a senior railway official told UNI this morning.

He said, therefore, trains will run on Srinagar-Badgam and Baramulla in north Kashmir. Similarly, trains will also chug on Badgam-Srinagar-Anantnag-Qazigund in south Kashmir to Banihal in Jammu region, he added.

Hundreds of passengers who were stranded at Banihal after suspension of railway service and public transport due to strike yesterday expressed satisfaction over the resumption of train service this morning. We had to spend entire day and night at railway station, one of the passenger said.

Due to suspension of train service, passengers, particularly shuttling between Baramulla to Banihal, suffer the most.

Train service has become very popular in the valley as it is being considered safe, fast and cheap against other mode of transport available in the valley, where traffic jam has become a routine because of dilapidated condition of roads.

Railway official said the department is acting on the advice of local administration who are taking into consideration the safety and security of passengers. In the past railway suffered huge loss during demonstrations and other violence, particularly during strike.

Image: UNI