With the decline in daily corona caseload and active cases below 200 figures, the train and flight services from the State Capital have gained momentum. Not only has the number of train services gone up, but there is an increase in the number of passengers too. Presently from Ranchi and Hatia Junction 47 pairs of trains are daily making up and down service. In April /May when corona cases were at its peak most of the trains were cancelled while those which were operating had very few passengers. As there was decline in arrival and departure of trains from Ranchi, footfall of passengers too was less. In May when Corona was at its peak, 2.70 lakh passengers travelled from Ranchi and Hatia junction in a month. But now with improvement in train services the monthly footfall of passengers from Ranchi and Hatia Junction is around 8 lakh passengers.
CPRO South Eastern Railway, Neeraj Kumar said, “With the decline in corona cases train services have improved which has resulted in an increase in number of passengers on trains. Things will improve further in the coming days as people will opt for train services.” Neeraj Kumar further said that presently out of 67 pair trains, 47 trains are operating and in future these train numbers will go up.
Sources said that due to the rush of passengers on trains, many trains have waiting lists. The Dhanbad--Alleppey Express which runs from Dhanbad to Alleppey (Kerala) passing through Katpadi (Vellore) station has a long waiting list as people from Jharkhand and Bihar use the train to go to CMC Vellore for treatment.
Mahesh Lal, a resident of Harmu area said, “A week back my son booked two ticked for Katpadi. There was no seat in the AC or sleeper. I doubt whether I will get a seat.”
The same is the case of flight services. During the corona period only seven to eight flights were operating from Birsa Munda International Airport, which now with improvement in situation has gone up to twenty. Presently, 22 flights are arriving and departing from Birsa Munda International Airport. A month back the footfall of passengers at Birsa Munda Airport was around 30,000 which now has gone up to 1.10 lakh passengers. Airport Director Vinod Sharma said, “Things will improve in coming days as more flights will operate from Birsa Munda Airport.”