Over 45 days after train services were suspended in India in the wake of the lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Railways have decided to resume partial operations from May 12 with 15 trains.
The 15 pairs of trains will originate from New Delhi station and connect places like Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi.
The Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the movement of people by trains and made it clear that only asymptomatic and confirmed ticket holders will be allowed to travel.
All passengers will have to wear face masks and observe social distancing norms while entering a station and during travel, the ministry said. Passengers shall have to reach the station at least 90 minutes in advance to facilitate thermal screening.
The home ministry said all passengers shall be provided hand sanitiser at stations and in coaches. Special trains to have only AC classes; fare structure shall be as applicable for regular time-tabled Rajdhani trains.
All passengers are also advised to download and use the Aarogya Setu application. "Passengers are encouraged to carry own linen, food, drinking water; dry, ready-to-eat food, bottled water to be provided on payment," the order said.
The advance reservation period will be maximum 7 days; No RAC, waiting list ticket; on-board booking by ticket checking staff not permitted.
Online cancellation is permitted up to 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure, however, the cancellation charge to be 50 per cent of the fare.