Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi (SD)

New Delhi, Mar 19: To battle the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic the Indian Railways cancelled 99 more trains on Wednesday taking the number of total trains cancelled to 184 throughout the country.

Over 22 trains were cancelled on Wednesday a day after five trains were cancelled by the Northern Railway as a measure to contain the coronavirus outbreak. With fresh cases every day the total number of positive cases throughout the country has reached 150.

“Around 11 trains have been cancelled due to low occupancy and operational reasons,” Deepak Kumar Northern Railway spokesperson said. He added the decisions were taken as a temporary measure to monitor unnecessary crowding at railway stations.

Besides, Western Railway cancelled 11 trains, East Central Railway has cancelled five trains, Southern Railway cancelled 32 trains and North Frontier Railway and South Central Railway cancelled 20 trains, said a senior Railway Ministry official. The official added that all divisional railway managers are directed to raise the platform tickets price to Rs 50 at all important stations to prevent rush and overcrowding.

A whopping 85 trains were cancelled in several zonal railways on Tuesday due to low occupancy and amid the coronavirus outbreak with effect from March 18 to April 1.