Kashmir: Train services fully restored in Srinagar-Banihal section, says Indian Railways
A limited service of two trains had been started between Srinagar-Baramulla from 10 am to 3 pm on November 12.
The Indian Railways said on Tuesday that it has fully resumed train services in the Srinagar-Banihal section of the Kashmir Valley, PTI reported.
A limited service of two trains had been started between Srinagar and Baramulla from 10 am to 3 pm on November 12. Trial train services were conducted in the following days.
On Tuesday, the railways also said that 16 train services are running in the Valley, and the timings of the trains have been broadened to 8 am to 5 pm. The Srinagar-Banihal section has been restored to its normal speed of 100 kilometres per hour, the Railways said.
“The Railways has restored train services to benefit thousands of local commuters to travel by train over the entire area between Baramulla and Banihal [138 km],” the Railways said in a statement. “The decision to restart train services in Kashmir Valley was taken after due security audits and assurance by Government Railway Police, Jammu and Kashmir.”
Train services were suspended in Kashmir on August 3, two days before the Centre abrogated the special status of the former state, under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. A curfew was also imposed in Jammu and Kashmir following the decision to remove special status, and the state was divided into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.