HYDERABAD: All railway services, including inter-city, express, suburban and metro, will cease from Monday till March 31. A statement from the government said, "In continuation of the measures taken in the wake of coronavirus, it has been decided that all passenger train services on Indian Railways, including Premium trains, Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Suburban trains, Metro rail, etc, shall be cancelled till the 2400 hrs of 31/03/2020. Trains that had already commenced their journey, prior 0400 hrs of 22/03/2020, will reach their destinations."
However, to ensure the essential supplies in various parts of the country, the movement of goods trains will continue. A full refund for all cancelled trains may be taken till June 21. Adequate arrangements shall be made to facilitate hassle-free refund to passengers.
Train cancellations have affected many students and bachelors who are living away from home and were planning to return to their respective States before the lockdown. Setu Verma, a PhD scholar from the University of Hyderabad, released a video criticising the varsity authorities.
“Many have booked flight tickets, and railway tickets to go back home, which have been cancelled. Now, these students are stranded outside the hostels and do not have the means to go back home,” Verman said in the video. Another IT professional, choosing to stay anonymous, said, “Our PGs have given us an ultimatum to leave in this week. With sky-rocketing prices of airfare and cancelled trains, we will be stranded on the roads.”
Lockdown leaves many belonging to far-off places with no option
Train cancellations have affected many students and bachelors who are living away from home and were planning to return to their respective States before the lockdown. Setu Verma, a PhD scholar from the University of Hyderabad, released a video criticising the varsity authorities.
"This video shall be historical evidence of how the university has failed to address the issues of the student. Many have booked flight tickets, and railway tickets to go back home, which have been cancelled. Now, these students are stranded outside the hostels and do not have the means to go back home," Verman said in the video.
An IT professional, choosing to stay anonymous, said, "Our PGs have given us an ultimatum to leave in this week. However,with sky-rocketing prices of airfare and cancelled trains, we will be stranded on the roads."