A preponed meeting between West Bengal Government and Eastern and Southern Railways to begin the local train services in Kolkata and its suburbs has failed to achieve a common ground. Another meeting has been called tomorrow to finalise the plans.

The meeting, which was scheduled to take place on Thursday, was preponed to Wednesday to ensure immediate resumption of local trains for general passengers amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In another meeting earlier this week, it was decided that the suburban train services would resume soon with a 10-15 per cent strength carrying 50 per cent of the existing passengers to adhere to the physical distancing protocols.

A detailed time table listing the routes and stations was supposed to be finalised at the meeting on Wednesday in Nabanna following which local trains would begin.

The Railways had reportedly begun to working on a system for issuing e-tickets for local train passengers akin to the metro rail. However, before giving the final go ahead, all the concerning parties decided to hold another round of talks.

Senior official of Eastern Railway said they were working closely with the state government and a thorough planning is needed wherein all health protocols due to the pandemic have to be put in place.

Even after five months since the unlocking procedure began, the local trains have not yet been opened for general passengers. The railway, though, has been running special local trains for its staff.

With the offices in Kolkata opening up after the lockdown, the workers travelling to and from the districts have been going through a nightmare on the road.

Overcrowded buses and overpriced taxis and auto services have worsened the situation for the passengers.

Requesting to immediately begin the local train service in Bengal, number of general passengers and hawkers have mailed the railways officials. A written letter demanding the same has been handed over to Sealdah Station DRM and Eastern Railway’s Deputy General Manager.

Failing to get the attention of railway officials, large sections of general passengers decided to take law into their hand. In the last one month or so, protests were witnessed in various stations of south Bengal for either resuming train services for general passengers or staf specials be opened for them.

It was only after the widespread outrage that the government officials took cognisance of the situation and decided to hold meeting to begin the train services. After the State Government and Railway meeting on Tuesday, a senior official of the South Eastern Railway assured people that services would be shortly started.