About 77 Rly staff test +ve; 66 local trains cancelled

Kolkata: As many as 66 local trains were cancelled in the Sealdah division on Monday amid surge in COVID-19 cases among Railway employees.

"A loco pilot of an Express train, who was infected with COVID-19, expired on April 18. About 77 Railway employees have been affected with Coronavirus," said an official of Eastern Railway (ER), Sealdah Division. More local trains are likely to be cancelled in the coming days, added the official.

According to sources, local train services have been affected as 14 guards of Sealdah Division tested positive. Due to lack of guards, a total of 13 pairs of local trains had to be cancelled on Friday at various branches of the

division.

On Saturday and Sunday, 25 local trains remained cancelled in the North and South section of the Sealdah Division. Out of 413 trains in the Sealdah Division, 270 are plying on the Sealdah Main/North (including Circular Railway) and 143 in the Sealdah South section.

For the internal staff, ER's Howrah Division has started 'Operation Steam' from April 16 for all field units and offices. At every unit, a steam inhaler will be made available for the staff.

ER has started a special drive to vaccinate all its employees, Kolkata Police personnel and polling staff.