A fully air-conditioned train carrying 1,498 passengers departed for New Delhi on Tuesday from the Rajendra Nagar terminal here, exactly after 51 days of suspension of services by the national transporter in view of the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.
The 21-coach special train (02309), which has Rajdhani rakes, chugged out at 7:20 pm from the Rajendra Nagar terminal in the capital city and will reach New Delhi on Wednesday at 7:40 am.
The train is carrying 1,498 passengers, East Central Railway (ECR) zone Chief Public Relations Officer Rajesh Kumar said.
This is among a handful of trains that resumed functioning across the country from Tuesday.
Beginning its journey from Rajendra Nagar, the train made a brief stoppage at the Patna junction to help designated passengers board.
The Railways issued guidelines on Monday for 15 special trains, the bookings for which began at 6 pm on the same day.
More From This Section
Passengers, who were directed to enter the station 90 minutes before the scheduled train time, were seen hurtling towards the stations of Rajendra Nagar terminal and also the Patna junction.
Happiness was clearly visible on the faces of the lucky ones going to board the train for the national capital, from where they had come and were held up in Patna due to the lockdown.
"My entire family resides in Delhi. I had come to Patna for a work on March 15 and got stranded during lockdown. Now I am finally going to Delhi," a passenger waiting outside Patna junction said.
Another traveller, who had come from Rajasthan to Patna on March 13, said he got grounded here due to the nationwide shutdown.
Another man from Rajasthan had come to drop off his pregnant wife at the Patna junction.
The man, working at a COVID-19 ward of a hospital here, said he was very happy that his wife was getting to go home.
The Railways has decided to run some special trains to and from Delhi.
Train service is being resumed after a gap of 51 days from Patna. The last train which originated from Patna junction (before lockdown) was Patna-Kurla (13201) on March 21, 2020, the ECR CPRO said.
All necessary and adequate measures have been taken for smooth running of trains and passengers' safety, especially in view of coronavirus, he added.
The passengers were allowed inside the station only after thermal screening and ensuring that they are wearing masks, Kumar said.
As per instructions, passenger having symptoms of coughing and sneezing will not be allowed to board the train, he said while making it clear that installing the Aarogya Setu mobile application has been made compulsory for them (passengers).
If the app shows the passenger as safe, only then he/she will be allowed to travel further, the CPRO said.
The two station premises were sanitised beforehand and the passengers' bags were also disinfected, he said.
Squares were drawn on the platforms for passengers to stand in accordance with social distancing norms and they were allowed to board the train one by one.
Passengers with confirmed e-tickets only will be allowed to enter the stations, the CPRO said.
Fares of these trains will be equivalent to that of the Rajdhani trains, the official said, adding that passengers can book tickets up to seven days in advance.
Asked how long the train service will continue, Kumar said, "The trains will be running till further orders keeping in mind how things pan out vis-a-vis coronavirus."