Image : Representational Purpose Only
In an unprecedented move to stop the spread of the coronavirus , the railways have announced suspension of all its passenger services from March 22 midnight to March 31 midnight and said only goods trains will run during the said period.
Suburban train services will also remain suspended till March 31 midnight.
The railways had already trimmed down its services on Friday by cancelling a majority of trains. However, it had allowed all trains that had already started the journey to continue.
“No train except goods trains will run till 2400 hrs of March 31. However, a bare minimum of suburban services and the Kolkata Metro Rail service will continue to run till 2400 hours of March 22. Thereafter, these services will also be stopped till 2400 hours of March 31,” a spokesperson of the Indian Railways said.
According to media reports, as many as 75 districts across the country where Covid-19 cases were confirmed have been placed under lockdown. The lockdown will extend essentially to the entirety of urban India as all major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata will be covered.
The national transporter said in continuation of the measures taken in view of the coronavirus outbreak, it was decided that all passenger train services, including premium trains, mail and express trains, passenger trains, suburban trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway, will be cancelled till the midnight of March 31.
The trains that had already commenced their journey prior to 4 am on March 22 will run up to their respective destinations, the railways said, adding that adequate arrangements would be made for the passengers during the travel and at their destinations.
‘To ensure the essential supplies in various parts of the country, movement of goods trains will continue,’ the Railway Ministry said in a statement.
It added that passengers could claim a full refund for all trains cancelled in this period till June 21.
