Dozens of local trains in the Sealdah and Howrah divisions have been cancelled because many drivers and guards have tested positive for Covid-19.

On Wednesday, 33 pairs of EMU local trains in the Sealdah division will not ply. In the Howrah division, 19 pairs of EMU local trains and 16 passenger trains will remain cancelled, the Eastern Railway said in a statement on Tuesday night.

The cancellation of local trains started on Sunday.

“Several drivers and guards have tested positive. We are trying to restrict the cancellations to non-peak hours for local and passenger trains as far as possible. But if the cases continue to surge, then the office-hour disruptions will also go up,” said an official of Eastern Railway.

An official in the Sealdah division said over 60 drivers and around 30 guards had tested positive till Sunday. In the Howrah division, around 50 have tested positive, said sources.

“So far, we have not disrupted the schedule of long-distance trains. But no one knows what will happen in the coming days,” said an official of the Howrah division.

“The drivers of long-distance goods trains can be deputed to drive long-distance express trains. But they cannot be deployed on suburban trains,” he said.

The trains cancelled in the Sealdah division on Wednesday include five pairs in the Sealdah-Barrackpore section, six pairs in the Sealdah–Bongaon section and four pairs in the Sealdah–Naihati section.

The railway authorities have launched a drive to impose a fine of Rs 500 on any passenger entering the station premises without a mask. But the drive is yet to pick up steam, said officials.

“The number of penalisations will go up in the coming days,” said an official.