Train services in Kashmir to begin today: Railways

STATE TIMES NEWS
New Delhi: Train services in the Kashmir Valley, which were disrupted since August 3 ahead of the abrogation of provisions of Article 370, will resume on Tuesday, a Northern Railway official said.
The valley had been under restrictions after August 5, when the Centre revoked the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into union territories.
“After appropriate action and assurance by GRP, J&K regarding safe operation of train in Kashmir Valley between 10 AM and 3 PM, the Firozpur Division will commence a limited passenger service of running two pair of trains between Srinagar-Baramulla-Srinagar with effect from November 12,” an official said.
Meanwhile, mini-buses began plying on some routes in the city on Monday while railways conducted two successful trial runs on the Srinagar-Baramulla stretch ahead of resumption of the train service on Tuesday, officials said.
The train service has been suspended since August 5, when the Centre decided to abrogate Article 370.
A railway official said that railways conducted the trial run of the service for the first time in over three months since the shutdown in the valley.
The railways conducted two successful trial runs on the stretch on Monday after conducting a thorough safety audit of the line.
Officials said that on Monday few mini-buses plied on Batwara-Batamaloo route through the city centre for the first time since August 5.
Inter-district cabs and auto-rickshaws also plied in the city and elsewhere in the valley, they added.
The officials said private transport was plying unhindered and several areas of the city witnessed traffic jams.
The Traffic Department has deployed additional personnel on duty to regulate traffic flow.
Markets opened only for few hours in the morning and traders downed their shutters around noon, the officials said.