Hyderabad: Passenger occupancy rate picks up in trains

Hyderabad: Amid decline in Covid cases across the city patronage of passengers has suddenly picked up in all long distance special passenger trains but there is still a slight dip in short distance trains. As per SCR official's patronage for short distance trains is 50 per cent but overall it has reached to an average.

On condition of anonymity, a senior officer, SCR said, "In over 185 trains plying across the city only 65,0000 passengers travelled." The majority of the people from Hyderabad are departing to states like Odisha, Shalimar, Dhanapur, Sambalpur, Puri Bihar, Jharkhand and Howrah.

Whereas in short distance trains that include Secunderabad to Bidar, Secunderabad to Guntur, the occupancy rate is low. Whereas for MMTS around 55 services are plying and daily around 500 people are availing the services. Before the closure of the services around 1.60 lakh passengers use the service every day and around 121 MMTS trains serves rail users in various parts of the city with 25 local stations.

The authorities are strictly following Covid-19 health protocol while allowing passengers to undertake journey by special passenger trains. Railways is also taking strict action on those passengers who are not wearing masks at the time of entering the station premises to board trains. Only valid passengers with valid tickets are been allowed and all the platforms are maintained well as per following Covid rules, added the officer.