Indian Railways Makes Aarogya Setu Mobile App Mandatory For Travel

Even as the guidelines issued on Monday did not specify installing the mobile app as mandatory but the railway ministry in a tweet late night made it compulsory .

New Delhi: Railway employees take part in a drill at New Delhi railway station during the ongoing COVID-19 nationwide lockdown, in New Delhi, Monday, May 11, 2020. Indian Railways said it will gradually resume passenger train services from May 12. (PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist)(PTI11-05-2020_000135B)

New Delhi: After the Indian Railways on Monday issued standard operating procedures for passengers undertaking the special train journey from Tuesday,  it has now made the installation of the government's Aarogya Setu mobile application "mandatory". Even as the guidelines issued on Monday for special trains to resume operations between Delhi and major cities of the country did not point at installing the mobile app as mandatory but a late night around 12:24 am by the railway ministry made it compulsory. "Indian Railways is going to start a few passenger train services. It is mandatory for passengers to download Aarogya Setu app in their mobile phones, before commencing their journey," the tweet said.

In case you don’t have the app installed on mobile phones you might be asked to do so after the arrival at the station. However, it lacks clarity on how the app will be enforced, officials said, as the Supreme Court, in a directive, has said making it mandatory is illegal, according to PTI report. The Aarogya Setu app has seen a lot of traction and the app has been installed in around 9.8 crore smartphones so far. The government app is used for contact-tracing and disseminating medical advisories to users in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. The MHA has also said installing the mobile app will be a must for those living in the COVID-19 containment zones Also Watch: