Centre Says No To Odisha’s Plea To Restrict Trains From Chhattisgarh  

Bhubaneswar: The Railway Board on Friday refused to entertain the Odisha government’s request to cancel all trains coming from Chhattisgarh to the State and vice versa and asked it to take up the issue with Union Home Ministry.

Chief Secretary Suresh Mohapatra on Thursday had written to Railway Board Chairman Suneet Sharma requesting to cancel all passenger trains coming to Odisha from Chhattisgarh with effect from April 10 in view of rising Covid-19 cases.

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Centre says no to #Odisha govt’s proposal to control train movement to the State from Chhattisgarh in view of Corona outbreak. Railway Board clarifies train operations being allowed throughout the country as per Home Ministry’s guidelines March 23, 2021 guidelines

— OTV (@otvnews) April 9, 2021

Responding to the letter, Sharma wrote, “As far as the movement restrictions is concerned, Railway operations have been allowed throughout the country as per Home Ministry guidelines dated 23.03.2021 duly complying with SOPs. You may seek necessary guidance from Ministry of Home Affairs.”

Apart from seeking cancellation of the trains from Chhattisgarh, the Odisha Chief Secretary had requested the railways to ensure that all travelling to Odisha from anywhere by train, must have an negative test report of maximum 72 hours before the start of Journey or a second dose vaccination certificate.

To the Chief Secretary’s request, Sharma responded, “We will notify the passengers regarding the conditions in Odisha as brought out in your letter by way of frequent announcements and messages to the travelling passengers.”

“You are requested to please make adequate arrangements at the railway stations in Odisha for checking the passengers, as necessary,” Sharma wrote in the letter to the Chief Secretary.

(Edited By Suryakant Jena)