Prof. Saifuddin Soz, Senior Congress Leader and Former Union Minister, Friday urged Northern Railways to not to suspend the rail transport during the Eid celebrations. He also urged the state administration to ensure calm and extend cooperation to the Railways.In a statement issued here today to KNS, Soz said: “I felt perturbed on knowing that the Railway Authorities have decided to suspend trains in Kashmir on 26th and 27th September, 2015 on the eve of Eid festival.When I took the matter with the Chief Executive Officer of the Railways (Kashmir) Atul Jain and urged him to refrain from such action as people of different places would meet their relatives during the Eid celebrations. I also explained that closure of clean, cheap and less-time consuming transport as the Rail is, will mean hardship to commuters.
The Chief Executive informed me that on successive Eid celebrations, during the past three years, the Railways had to face extreme vandalism on Eid days by rowdy elements and also the Railways had to suffer heavy losses due to the vandalism.“I felt very sad that a section of youth does not see reason to travel peacefully on Eid days and allow the common people to celebrate Eid peacefully. While I urge the Railways not to suspend the Rail transport during the Eid celebrations, I simultaneously, urge the State Administration to ensure calm and extend cooperation to the Railways”.I also urge the Hurriyat leadership to issue an appeal for peaceful celebrations of Eid and give a special call to the youth to cooperate with the Railways so that smooth movement of Rail transport is ensured.” (KNS)