No Relief For Train Passengers But Railways Brace Up For Post Lockdown Services

Although there is a little relief for passengers in terms of trains services resuming in the absence of any decision because of the lockdown, officials have hinted that it will be likely done in a phased manner after it gets a nod from the government.

A railway worker cleans a train carriage as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus at a yard in New Delhi. PIC/AFP.

Coronavirus in India: Even as several passengers remain stuck in places and unable to take back their journey to destinations due to the global pandemic, Indian Railways is putting up measures in place to resume services once the 21-day lockdown ends on April 14. The railway workers are being prepared to brace up for the situation once the lockdown is over and are given instructions on how to make passengers wear masks, utilise the Arogya Setu app to check health status, thermal screening to check on infection besides encouraging social distancing onboard besides other measures. Although there is a little relief for passengers in terms of trains services resuming in the absence of any decision because of the lockdown, officials have hinted that it will be likely done in a phased manner after it gets a nod from the government. “A decision is likely to be taken in the coming week on how to restore passenger train services,” according to an official who spoke to the agency. Officials have already discussed the option of resuming services only on specific approval of each train from the Railway Board. However, suggestions for phase-wise planning have to be provided by the zone to the board. The officer stated that it is not aiming at revenue generation for now and the focus is on safety of passenger and to contain the disease. Trains will run in due course, once the government gives us the green signal. However, as of now, we have not taken any decision yet," the agency quoted a senior officer. While in the zones, officials are also identifying trains and routes which can be resumed with the approval of the board. The focus, say officials, is to see if routes catering to migrant workers can be resumed initially and also those that are not travelling or that have halts at COVID-19 hotspots. They will have to consider various factors after the lockdown is lifted. For instance running the trains only in in areas where lockdown is lifted, officials said. The railways will most likely continue with suspension of all concessions for passengers except those offered to patients, students and people with disabilities in a hurry, even after the lockdown period to discourage unnecessary travel. In reaction to the media reports that Indian Railways has started taking bookings post lockdown, it has given clarification that no such plan regarding the resumption of passenger services has been issued. However, last month people were advised not to cancel the tickets they have booked online for those trains that have been cancelled and assured full refund will be processed automatically. In the same announcement, the railways had extended to three months the time to cancel counter tickets till June 21. Railways are conducting workshops for employees, where fumigation rooms are set up for sanitisation of workers. In those workshop employees are seen entering the room wearing masks where fumes are being sprayed to sanitise them against the deadly virus. Meanwhile, railway PSUs are committed to converting around 5,000 coaches as isolation wards initially which are likely to be sent in rural areas that don’t have access to hospitals, has offered its hospitals for infected patients and are also producing essential medical goods like masks, sanitisers, PPEs. Railway minister Piyush Goyal has given instructions that proper planning should be done of cleaning of linens, sanitation and proper disposal of biomedical waste that is expected to be generated at hospitals and isolation coaches. (With inputs from PTI)