Anantnag: Suspension of train services in Kashmir since August 5 has caused major losses to Northern Railways both in terms of revenue and
maintenance of trains as well as tracks.
“We were told to snap train services and we followed the order,” a senior Railway official told Kashmir Reader.
Train services were suspended on August 5 as Government of India abrogated special constitutional status of J&K and bifurcated the state into union
territories.
Both Banihal-Budgam and Budgam-Baramulla service remain snapped for last 70 days. Consequently, it has inflicted losses worth more than Rs 2.5
crores as trains stand parked in yards of Budgam Railway station, the official said.
“Our total revenue is between 3.5 Lac to 4 Lac Rupees per day and if only that is taken into consideration then our losses are more than Rs 2.3
crore,” he said.
According to him, maintenance of trains has also been hit which is also going to cost the railways a fortune.
“Plus, there has been some damage to the tracks as well. Not substantial but some damage for sure. That too needs to be mended,”
Asked if the authorities were in any mood to allow plying of trains in Kashmir, the official said that the authorities have been adamant that the
situation was not conducive yet for resumption of train services in Kashmir.
“Every 15 days we have been writing to the authorities and they have been adamant that the resumption of trains will have to wait,” the official
said.
He said that the Railways will again write to the authorities in a few days.
“Till then we are sitting silently in our offices watching the losses balloon every day,” the official said.

Suhail A Shah