New Delhi: The Railways on Wednesday said the Samjhauta Express departed on time with 27 passengers onboard, amidst reports that Pakistan has suspended its operations between Wagah to Lahore on its side. "The train running from Delhi to Attari in India left at 11:20 pm Wednesday. There are three Pakistanis and 24 Indian nationals aboard the train," Northern Railway said.
The biweekly train, which runs on Wednesdays and Sundays, was as per schedule from the Old Delhi Railway station with 27 passengers aboard -- four in AC coach, 23 in non-AC coaches -- it said.
The train does not have any commercial stops between Delhi and Attari. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal earlier Wednesday said, "We have not received any instructions from authorities about any change in the running of the Samjhauta Express. We will follow all instructions given to us in this regard."
Originally, the train offered a through service with one rake going all the way between the terminals - Delhi in India to Lahore in Pakistan. However, now a Pakistani rake stops at Attari at which point passengers have to change trains and board an Indian rake.
The Samjhauta Express, named after the Hindi word for "agreement", comprises six sleeper coaches and an AC 3-tier coach. The train service was started on July 22, 1976 under the Shimla Agreement that settled the 1971 war between the two nations. From Lahore, the train departs on Monday and Thursday.
Sources said the footfall on the train, which generally records an occupancy of around 70 per cent, has fallen drastically post the Pulwama attack on February 14 in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.
