Title - Train continues to ply partially from Qazigund to Budgam Railways to decide on service up to Baramul

Srinagar: While a decision to run the train up to Baramulla will be taken on Saturday, the train service continues to ply partially from Qazigund to Budgam.“The train plied normally today between Qazigund in south to Budgam in central Kashmir,” said AK Sharma, Chief Area Manager, Budgam, Northern Railways. “We are yet to get the clearance for running the train up to Baramulla,” he added.The train in Kashmir has been plying partially since February 18 due to security concerns which have risen in the wake of hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. In fact, the train operation in Kashmir was suspended for nine days after Afzal Guru was hanged on February 9.Officials said the train services were suspended as the government feared damages to Railway property. In 2010, the train service had to be halted for almost five months due to security reasons and damage to the rail property in various parts of the Valley.Sources said a review of the situation would be taken on Saturday to decide about plying the train up to Baramulla.“A decision about resuming the train operation up to Baramulla will be taken in a meeting tomorrow,” said an official.The trains of Kashmir are yet to be connected with the rest of the country and they ply between Qazigund and Baramulla, a distance of 119 km. The first phase of the train service in the Valley was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on October 11, 2008.