The New Delhi and Nizamuddin railway stations bore a deserted look on Saturday, just a day after the Centre announced special trains to transport migrants, students, tourists and others stranded in the lockdown to their respective States.
The entrance to the Nizamuddin railway station is bordered by lines of parked black and yellow taxis.
The Ajmeri Gate side of the New Delhi railway station resembled an abandoned piece of vacant land, in the absence of serpentine queues of autos, cabs and private cars.
With no word yet on when the transportation process will start in the Capital, both railway stations — that usually witness unending hustle at all hours — are currently populated only by skeletal staff of the Railways and a few policemen.
With a few stationary trains at some of the platforms, authorities at both stations said that they were awaiting orders from the Centre before starting to move people.
‘Order from govt.’
A senior official at the Nizamuddin railway station said, “There has been no intimation from the government yet and necessary arrangements can begin to be made only after that. But we are not sure if and when trains start if it will be from Nizamuddin as it is in close proximity to the containment zones. So, we doubt if any train will be able to operate from here. Stations like Anand Vihar and New Delhi are more likely to be the ones. However, there is no confirmation yet.”
The platforms at the New Delhi railway station, which till a little over a month back saw daily footfall in thousands, are now spick and span, with the exception of lone cargo trains being loaded with items.
With stations being devoid of the usual activities, announcements, passengers lugging along, the only ones maintaining the prescribed social distance are a group of canines.
