The Indian railways has denied all the assumptions and media reports that claimed the decision to resume the train services from April 15, after the 21 day lockdown ends. The national transporter said that it will be too early to resume the entire passenger services looking at the present state of the country, and the railways has not issued any protocol that is being falsely mentioned in the media reports.
The Indian railways issued the clarification when reports came into light that train services are to be resumed after 15 April with the condition that passengers have to reach hours before the scheduled departure of the train and have to undergo thermal screening before boarding the train. In a statement the railways has mentioned that, it is very early to speculate about the resumption of services amidst the havoc of corona virus but the decision will be taken keeping in mind the interest of stakeholders and passengers, till that time everyone is requested to ignore the misleading media reports. Railways are going to take the best decision possible at this time and all the concerned will be informed about this. There is no such statement by the railways of resuming the services also; IRCTC has announced the suspension of three trains run till April 30. The predictions about the lockdown are still not clear as the Central government is thinking about the state’s request to extend it till the situation comes in hand. A few days back reports came that railways has gradually started accepting the booking “naturally when the lockdown was supposed to lift up by April 14” but then added that passenger train services would not resume entirely.
The railways has suspended the passenger, mail and express train services from March 24 to April 14 and till further notice amid corona virus pandemic. Only freight and special parcel (medicines, essential equipments and foodstuff) trains are operational to supply important and necessary items across the country, the timetable of these trains was also tossed by railways to ensure swift delivery of the essential parcels. The ministry added that the special parcel trains are operational on eight routes and the next plan is to add another twenty zones to cover as much possible area.
India has crossed 6000 corona virus cases with death toll of 186 and it’s increasing with the increasing number of days, everyone is advised to practice social distancing and to stay home and safe, take all the possible measures required. In sight of the present circumstances it is very difficult to resume railway services and also the lifting up of lockdown by April 14. The services have to denied and lockdown has to be extended further to keep the situation in control and as the responsible citizen of the country we have follow the orders and stay home and make the best possible use of this quarantine.
