During times like these, traveling anywhere is a risk, not only to the health of you and your family, but also to the society at large. However, we understand that some people would have no other option but to travel due to their own circumstances. So if there’s any situation which requires you to travel from one city or state to another, trains could be an option for you. Although, it’s important to know how to take trains during covid.
Currently, trains are more significant as a part of essential services and are certainly operational. However, Indian Railways don’t function like they used to before the pandemic. There are also some government protocols you have to adhere to. At the same time, you will have to take all the necessary precautions and be a responsible citizen. If you’re wondering what the rules are like, here’s a comprehensive guide on how to take trains during covid.
The trains that are in service in India during the coronavirus outbreak, are referred to as Special Trains or Shramik Special, connecting important cities across India. In the month of May, the special trains first started out from the station of New Delhi that connected to 15 vital cities of the country. The course of these trains was set to be daily, weekly or twice a week. These trains have no catering services, only a few provide beverages, packaged drinking water bottles, ready to eat etc.
Currently, there is only a limited number of conventionally approved express or mail trains in different parts of the country. By the mid of September, a total count of over 300 trains were running, connecting 16 states of India. The lists of the Shramik Special keep increasing with each month. You can check their availability and timings as updates regarding them are posted on the portal of IRCTC, under “Corona virus Special Trains For Passengers”.
Services of over 500 regular trains and 10,000 stoppages have been halted in a time of need-based travel. With trains in India now having much lesser occupancy, the Ministry of Railways plans to cut around 50% of the regular trains and merge them with the popular ones. The trains having to cover long distances will not have any stoppages within 20kms unless it is one of the major cities of the country.
During a time of social distancing, the booking tickets at the reservations counters in the railway stations are not being allowed. The portal of IRCTC website or via an app in your mobile can be used to purchase your E-tickets. The Advanced Reservation Period or ARP can be for an extended period of maximum 30 days. People under the waiting lists are not allowed to board the train or even inside the premises of the station.
Unlike before how the charts of assigned seats with coaches were prepared only 30mins prior to departure, the first chart will be out 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train. The second chart will be out 2 hours ahead of the scheduled departure of the train. Between the preparation of both the charts, only tickets being booked online is permitted.
The PRS or limited number of reservation counters will be accessible for availing permits for any quotas that could have been availed in a regular train. Following are the rules that prohibits purchasing tickets under the given circumstance:
The concessions categories that are currently available in these trains are limited: 4 groups from Divyangjan concession and patients concessions in 11 groups. The rule placed on cancellation and refund of tickets in 2015 is still applicable.
Cancelation of the ticket a day prior to the train’s departure is allowed. In any case, during the screenings process, if a party is held unfit to board the train, a full refund of the ticket is still in place to:
It is too soon to get back to the pre-pandemic stage. However, with the oncoming festive seasons, the demand for travel has increased in the past few weeks. The North Central Railways have implemented many features like the QR based ticket scanner that allows no contact ticket checking and plasma air purifier in the coaches of the train. Apart from these, here are some guidelines that need to be followed that are issued by the IRCTC:
As commuters, it is time to reevaluate how to put out safety first. There are things that you can do on your part to make your travel safer. Along with mandatory masks, sanitizers and the promotion of social distancing, here are some tips that you need to keep in mind while travelling using a train during the pandemic:
For different reasons, staying locked inside your home cannot be possible for everyone. We understand that it isn’t easy to put life on hold after a while. So if you really have to take a train in India during the pandemic, we urge you to be responsible by following proper guidelines and basic hygiene. Don’t underestimate the importance of wearing a mask and carrying sanitizers.
