NEW DELHI: Even with Covid curbs lifted and most passenger train services resumed, the Railways is yet to bring back its linen service in over 594 express trains. According to a source in the railways, the service has been restored in only 520 trains, including the premier Tejas Rajdhani trains. Prior to the pandemic, the service was available across 1,114 pairs of trains.
On the delay in restoration of the service in other trains, the source said that huge stocks of linen items were damaged during the last 2 years of suspension of the service. “Now, we have placed orders for more than 16 lakh new linen items.
Soon after receiving the orders, the service will be restored in the remaining 594 trains,” the source said, adding that curtains have been restored in the AC classes of 1,225 express trains.
Sources said that to restore the service, an odd 7.5 lakh packets of linen items are required daily. On being asked, the chief spokesperson of railway ministry, Rajiv Jain said that restoration of the linen service is going in full swing.