Railways to start reservations

Railways to start reservations

Bookings for 200 time-tabled trains to run from June 1 can be done from today

21/05/2020, YUTHIKA BHARGAVA,NEW DELHI/CHENNAI

More mobility: The trains are in addition to Shramik Specials.

In a relief for passengers, the Railways will begin accepting booking for 200 time-tabled trains that will be run from June 1 onwards, from 10 a.m. on Thursday.

The booking for these trains, which will have both AC and non-AC coaches, can be done only online.

“These special services shall be in addition to the existing Shramik Special trains being run since May 1, and Special AC trains [30 trains] being run since May 12, 2020,” the Railways said, adding that other regular passenger services continue to remain cancelled.

As per the Railway guidelines, the advance reservation period for these trains will be 30 days. While RAC and waitlist tickets will be generated, passengers with only confirmed tickets will be allowed at the station. In addition, no tatkal and premium tatkal booking will be permitted in these trains.

“First chart shall be prepared at least 4 hours before the scheduled departure and the second chart shall be prepared at least 2 hours [unlike the present practice of 30 minutes] before scheduled departure. Only online current booking shall be permitted in between first and second chart preparation,” it added.

All passengers will be compulsorily screened and only asymptomatic passengers are allowed to enter /board the train. They will need to reach the station at least 90 minutes in advance.

The Railways said no catering charges would be included in the fare. The IRCTC, however, will make provision for limited eatables and packaged drinking water on payment basis in limited trains.

“Passengers are encouraged to carry their own food and drinking water... No linen, blankets and curtains will be provided inside the train. Passengers are advised to carry their own linen for the travel. The temperature inside AC coaches shall be suitably regulated for this purpose,” it added.

“All passengers must download and use the Aarogya Setu application. Passengers are advised to travel light,” it said.

New SOP issued

Meanwhile, the Railway Ministry has decided to detrain all passengers travelling in a coach even if one or more passengers show symptoms of COVID-19.

Acting on reports that some passengers who reached their destinations tested positive, the Railway Board on Wednesday wrote to the General Managers of Zonal Railways to detrain passengers and empty the coach for cleaning. A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on disinfecting and sanitising the coach was also issued. “In the event of a passenger or passengers being found infected or showing symptoms, the train would be stopped at the next major station and all travelling public in that particular coach or coaches would be detrained,” a senior official told The Hindu.

(With inputs from

S. Vijay Kumar)