Title - Decision on train to Baramulla soon

Services between Qazigund and Budgam partially resumed on Feb 18
Srinagar : While the train continues to chug between Qazigund to Budgam, a decision about plying it up to north Kashmir would be taken by Saturday.Sources said due to "security concerns", Railway officials had decided to operate the train partially for the next two days.“We will be meeting on Saturday and decide as to when to ply the train up to Baramulla in north Kashmir,” said a Railway official.“The rail upto Baramulla passes through many sensitive areas and that is the reason for operating the train service only up to central Kashmir,” he added.The Saturday meeting is likely to be attended by senior Railway, police and civil administration officials.The train services in Kashmir were partially resumed from Qazigund in south to Budgam in central Kashmir on February 18, almost nine days after it was suspended.The train services were suspended on February 9, the day when Afzal Guru was hanged. The train services were suspended as the government feared damages to Railway property. Soon after the suspension of the train on February 9, the Railway security had sought three police companies (nearly 360 men) so as to ensure safety of rails in Kashmir.

In 2010, the train services had to be halted for almost five months due to security reasons and damage to the rail property in various parts of the Valley.

Police sources said after assessing the security of the train on Saturday, some more policemen might be deployed to ensure the safety of the Kashmir train upto north Kashmir.