In the wake of the rising number positive cases of coronavirus in India, the Indian Railways has decided to cancel all train services till March 31.
All passenger train services on Indian Railways including Premium trains, Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Suburban Trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway and others have been cancelled.
However, bare minimum level of services of suburban trains and Kolkata Metro Rail will continue upto midnight on Sunday, March 22.
The Railways said that movement of goods trains will continue to ensure the essential supplies in various parts of the country.
Also, the passengers will get a full refund for all cancelled trains till June 21.
Here is what Indian Railways said:
1. In continuation of the measures taken in the wake of COVID 19, it has been decided that all passenger train services on Indian Railways including Premium trains, Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Suburban Trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway etc shall be cancelled till the 2400hrs of 31.03.2020. However, bare minimum level of services of suburban trains and Kolkata Metro Rail shall continue upto 2400hrs of 22.03.2020.
2. Trains which had already commenced their journey, prior to 0400 destinations. Adequate arrangements shall be made for the passengers, who have commenced their journey during the travel and at their destinations. hrs of 22.03.2020, will run up to their
3.To ensure the essential supplies in various parts of the country, movement of goods trains will continue.
4. To make it more convenient for passengers, full refund for all cancelled trains may be taken till 21.06.2020. Adequate arrangements shall be made to facilitate hassle-free refund to passengers affected by train cancellations.
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray also notified the same.
Western Railway tweeted, "Kindly note that Mumbai Suburban services of Western Railway will not be run from 24.00 hrs of 23/03/2020 i.e from the midnight of 22/03/2020 till the midnight of 31/03/2020. On 22/03/2020, only skeleton ie bare minimum services will be run."
Meanwhile, the death count in India rose to 6 after a 38-year-old man with travel history to Qatar died at AIIMS, Patna on Sunday. The number of positive cases rose to 341.
