COVID-19 lockdown: Indian Railways passengers take note! IRCTC has now suspended its train services till April 30, 2020 in the wake of the rising number of Coronavirus cases across the country. The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the catering and tourism of Indian Railways, operates three private trains across the rail network. According to IRCTC officials quoted in a PTI report, the train services of IRCTC Varanasi-Indore Kashi Mahakal Express, IRCTC Lucknow-New Delhi Tejas Express as well IRCTC Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Express have now been suspended till April 30, 2020.
Earlier, the ticket booking for the three IRCTC operated trains were suspended only between April 15, 2020 – April 25, 2020 due to the COVID-19 lockdown crisis. However, now, the three trains will not be operated till April 30, 2020 and the booking has been stopped due to the rising Coronavirus cases day after day. As the trains will not be operated till April 30, 2020, all the railway passengers who had booked tickets during this particular period, will receive full refund on their tickets, added the IRCTC official.
In a bid to contain the Coronavirus pandemic in India, the Railway Board had earlier announced the complete suspension of all its train services from the network, including inter city trains, local suburban trains, Mail/Express trains, long distance trains etc. Before the lockdown was announced, indian Railways had taken up several other measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the network. Thermal screening of passengers was being done at stations and inside trains. Social distancing was being encouraged at railway stations. The cost of platform tickets at stations was increased to discourage people from gathering at a public space.
IRCTC first started the services of the Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express on October 4, 2019. The Tejas Express trains are equipped with facilities of private railway services and offer premium facilities to passengers. Tejas Express trains comprise executive chair car coaches, modular bio-toilets, automatic entry and exit doors, mobile charging points, tea/coffee vending machines, button operated Venetian blinds and other such facilities. The Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Express began commercial services from January 19, 2020. The Tejas Express train also provides rail travel insurance to passengers upto Rs 25 lakhs.