14 April,2021 03:50 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
People queue up outside Lokmanya Tilak Terminus to board outstation trains. Pic/Sameer Abedi
As the news of the 15-day lockdown-like curfew imposed by the Maharashtra government spread, scores of passengers lined up at Mumbai's Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, even as the railways announced a host of special trains.
People waiting outside LTT. Pic/Sameer Abedi
Passengers scheduled to depart via night trains and others who were on the waiting list also came and waited outside the station early to avoid delays. Unlike last time when the railways had run unreserved special trains, this time only confirmed passengers are being taken in.
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Scores of passengers queue up to board outstation trains at LTT. Source: Railways
However, similar crowding was not witnessed at any other stations, unlike last year.
Passengers waiting outside Kurla Terminus. Pic/Sameer Abedi
Senior railway officials who have been stationed at Kurla LTT said there was a flood of passengers because 18 to 20 regular north-bound trains on an average leave from this station. In addition to this, 230 special trains (115 Up and 115 Down) have been planned just for April 2021. "As of today, April 14, there are 26 trains (regular and special) from this one station, of which 18 are bound for north and the rest will head east bound," Central Railway chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar told Mid-Day.
Pic/Sameer Abedi
Given the sheer number of trains to the north from Kurla LTT station the larger chunk of the passengers were seen here. People from western suburbs too have booked tickets in trains departing from Kurla LTT.
Pic/Sameer Abedi
Railway officials said there were no reason to panic as adequate trains had been lined up for travel and that they were monitoring the situation on a real-time basis. Sutar added, "Trains will continue to run, and we are ensuring no inconvenience to any passenger. People are requested not to panic and rush towards stations," he said.
