Indian Railways may run 120 more Special Trains to ease intra, inter-state movement this month

File Photo: Twitter/@RailMinIndia

New Delhi: The Indian Railways is planning to run 120 more Special Trains in the coming days to facilitate the intra and inter-state movement of people. 

As per reports, railways is in talks with concerned State governments and authorities to run more Special Trains in coming days

About 100 trains would be announced first after getting the green signal from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Subsequently, the Railways then may allow more trains, almost another 20 trains to augment passenger services on certain routes where trains are already operational.

Currently, 230 Special Trains are operational.

While answering to a Zee Media query and on confirming the news, a Railways official said, "Yes, more special trains are being planned. State Governments are being consulted."

Notably, the Indian Railways also started running “Shramik Special” trains from May 1, 2020,  to move migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places due to coronavirus induced lockdown. These special trains were being run from point to point on the request of both the concerned State Governments as per the standard protocols for sending and receiving such stranded persons.

Earlier on August 31, the Union Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal said that the Indian Railways has so far solarised 960 Railway Stations and has moved closer to become a Net Zero Carbon Emission Railway by 2030.

Indian Railways, Green Railways: In mission mode, Railways solarises 960 Railway Stations, and moves closer to becoming a Net Zero Carbon Emission Railway by 2030 

https://t.co/u1xpwDqrSS pic.twitter.com/BZvEkpn02H — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) August 31, 2020

Some of the stations that have been solarised include Varanasi, New Delhi, Old Delhi, Jaipur, Secunderabad, Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Howrah.

According to the Ministry of Railways, orders have also been placed for 198 MW solar rooftop capacity for 550 stations which are under execution.

The Indian Railways also has a mega plan for installing solar plants of 20 GW capacity by utilizing its vacant land by 2030. 

"About 51,000-hectare vacant land available with Indian Railways and is now ready to extend all support to the developers for installing solar power plants on Railway’s vacant un-encroached land," stated the Ministry of Railways.

Meanwhile, the Centre’s Unlock 4.0 guidelines came into effect on Tuesday and will remain in force till September 30. 

The MHA issued new guidelines in order to open up more activities in areas outside COVID-19 containment zones.

According to the guidelines, metro services across the country will resume from September 7 while schools and colleges will remain shut. The guidelines also state that there shall be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods including those for cross land-border trade under Treaties with neighbouring countries. No separate permission or e-permit will be required for such movements.