If Centre gives nod, railways plans to resume train services from December 1

Palakkad: The railways plans to resume all train services from December 1, if the central government gives the go-ahead.

The services will be conducted as per the new timetable. The railway will bring in a 'zero-based' timetable instead of the old timetable. The plan is to complete the new timetable this month, conduct a trial run in November and resume services by December.

Highlights

• 686 trains with fewer passengers are likely to be scrapped. The number of passenger trains would be cut down to 4,000 from the current 4,600. Some passenger trains from Kerala and weekly express trains in north India are on this preliminary list.

• 363 long-distance trains will be upgraded to mail/express trains. With the speed limit proposed to be increased to 45kmph, the timings and number of stops would change. Mangalore-Coimbatore-Mangalore, and Punalur-Guruvayur-Punalur trains from Kerala are also on the list.

• 120 mail/express trains will be upgraded to superfast trains. The average speed will be 55kmph. The night trains to neighbouring trains will be included in this category.

• 1,600 night halts will be completely stopped. There would be changes in the stops of the day-time trains too.

• The link train system (in which some coaches of the train are attached to another train heading to a different destination) would be done away with. The Amrita/Rajya Rani Express earlier followed this system and was split into two services. The Dhanbad/Tata Express from Alappuzha, Kannur/Karwar Express from Yeshwanthpur, Guruvayur/Thoothukudi Express from Egmore in Chennai would conduct independent services.

• Special timings for track maintenance works.

• Cargo trains will also have special timings. The railways estimates that it can make an additional revenue of Rs 2000 crore if the cargo trains conduct services to a specific destination within set timing, akin to the passenger trains.

• Ticketing system will also see significant changes.