After early reports that the Indian Railways would be cancelling all trains, the Railways have confirmed that all passenger train services—including Premium trains, Mail/Express passenger, suburban, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway, etc—will be cancelled "till the 2400hrs of March 31, 2020".
According to a press release, the "bare minimum level of services" of suburban trains and Kolkata Metro Rail shall continue until 2400hrs of March 22.
Strengthening precautions against COVID-19, Railways has decided that no passenger train will run up to 31st March.
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It added that that trains that had already commenced their journey prior to 0400hrs of March 22 will run up to their destinations. "Adequate arrangements shall be made for the passengers, who have commenced ther journey during the travel and at their destinations."
The movement of goods trains will continue, the release said, "to ensure the essential supplies in various parts of the country".
A full refund wil be made available for all cancelled trains until June 21.
According to Manorama Online, sources said a decision was taken during a video conference convened by Railway Board chairman V. K. Yadav with zonal general managers on March 21.
Instances of possible coronavirus carriers violating quarantine and boarding trains had earlier taken place, increasing the risk of community infection.
On March 18, the Railways cancelled 85 trains as precaution against the spread of coronavirus and due to low occupancy, officials said. It has also issued a set of guidelines to zonal railways for its catering staff stating no employee having fever, cough, runny nose or difficulty in breathing "should be deployed in the business of food handling on Indian Railways".
According to officials, the central railways cancelled 23 trains, south central railways cancelled 29 trains, western railways cancelled 10 trains, south eastern railways cancelled 9 trains, east coast and northern railways cancelled 5 trains each, and north western railways cancelled 4 trains.
As a precautionary measure railway zones like Western and Central had increased the prices of their platform tickets to discourage large crowds. "All staff of catering units should be directed to maintain personal hygiene as per the food safety norms/standards of FSSAI," the guidelines stated.
"All staff to wear a facemask and hand gloves, head gear etc while dealing with food production and services to passengers, staff be advised to wash their hands with soap frequently, avoid contact with people having cough or cold, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth, hand gloves to be changed frequently and disposed in a closed dustbin," they added.
It also said that all supervisors deployed in catering establishments be directed to maintain personal hygiene and impart counselling to their subordinates in this regard. "All staff deployed in food production and services should wash their uniforms on daily basis and wear clean uniforms on duty,” it said.
The number of coronavirus cases in India had touched 324 on Sunday, marking a total of six casualties. The latest death was that of a 63-year-old in Mumbai on Sunday, who was admitted to the H.N. Reliance Hospital on Saturday. The Brihamumbai Municipal Corporation in a statement said the patient had chronic history of diabetes, high blood pressure and ischemic heart disease.
