Dikhyaa Mohanty 
With the ongoing power crisis and coal shortage in the country, the Indian Railways on Friday canceled 657 mail, express, and passenger train trips in order to prioritize the movement of coal rakes. As per the Railway Ministry, as many as 670 train trips, including trips for long-distance mail and express trains, will remain canceled till May 24.
The national transporter has also reportedly increased the average daily loading of coal rakes to over 400- the highest ever in the past five years. As per reports, the railway has committed to providing 415 coal rakes daily, each carrying around 3,500 tonnes, to meet the present demand.
Though resentment among people has been witnessed at some places, the railway has to cancel the trains to create extra paths for rakes carrying coal to power plants across the country, said a railway official.
