Download Aarogya Setu\, bring your food\, blankets: Indian Railways to passengers

Download Aarogya Setu, bring your food, blankets: Indian Railways to passengers

IRCTC special train booking rules: Booking of tickets through 'agents', (both IRCTC and Railway) shall not be allowed. Ticket booking counters at the railway station will remain closed

A total of 15 trains for different destinations will leave New Delhi on Tuesday for which the IRCTC has started the booking

Almost after 50 days, the India Railways will resume its passenger operations on May 12, Tuesday. The Railways has asked passengers to carry their own food, blankets, and bedsheet from home to avoid the risk of coronavirus spread. However, pre-packed snacks, biscuits will be available, just like in flights.

"No catering charges shall be included in fare. Provision for prepaid meal booking, e-catering disabled. IRCTC shall make provision for limited eatables & packaged drinking water on payment basis. Passengers are encouraged to carry their own food and drinking water," Railways Ministry said.

Besides, all passengers will have to wear face masks, download Aarogya Setu mobile app and observe social distancing norms while entering a station and during travel, as per Railway ministry notification.

"All passengers are advised to download and use the Aarogya Setu application. No Linen, blankets and curtains shall be provided inside the train. Passengers are advised to carry their own linen for the travel," Ministry of Railways said on Monday.

The Ministry of Railways will ensure that passengers shall be compulsorily screened and only those who are asymptomatic will be allowed to enter or board a train.

A total of 15 trains for different destinations will leave New Delhi on Tuesday for which the IRCTC has started the booking. The 15 special trains modeled on the lines of Rajdhani Express will have fares equivalent to that of the super-fast train.

Booking facilities will be available on the IRCTC website or through mobile app. Booking of tickets through 'agents', (both IRCTC and Railway) shall not be allowed. Ticket booking counters at the railway station will remain closed. Passengers with valid confirmed tickets will be allowed to enter the railway stations. There would be no provision of 'tatkal' and 'premium tatkal' accommodation.

The special trains will run from New Delhi to Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi.