New Delhi, April 29 (FN Agency) Amid power crisis, Railways have cancelled 16 mail and express passenger trains daily for the faster movement of coal supply trains to meet the coal demand in the country. As per the Railways sources , as many as 670 trips of passenger trains will be curtailed till May 24. Out of them, 500 are trips that were going to be made by long-distance mail and express trains. Additionally, the railway ministry has notified the cancellation of nearly 657 trips of mail and passenger trains till May 24. With this, the national transporter has raised the average daily loading of coal rakes to over 400, the highest ever in five years.
Railways have committed to providing 415 coal rakes every day, each with a capacity to carry around 3,500 tonnes. Most domestic coal is transported from the east to the northern, central and western parts of India. In a joint meet with Railway ministry and Power ministry, the Coal ministry had requested Railway to run 422 coal rakes daily to meet the present demand. Railways also vowed to give 415 coal rakes daily, however, only 410 rakes are being operated on a daily basis. “There are protests against cancellation of passenger trains in different states, but we have no option left with us as the immediate need is to ensure that there is no coal shortage at power plants” said the railways official.