Coronavirus Lockdown 3.0: Indian Railways makes changes in special train services, ticket booking system

With the Indian Railways announcing a gradual resumption of services from May 12, the railways made some changes in facilities provided to passengers of special trains and ticket booking arrangements.

These trains will be run as special trains from New Delhi Station connecting Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi, the government said in a statement.

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The government also said the railways will start more special services on new routes, based on the available coaches after reserving 20,000 coaches for COVID-19 care centres.

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.

The Indian Railways decided to give stoppages to Shramik Special trains. There will be a maximum of three stoppages other than the final stoppage, the destination state. The train will run with a full capacity of around 1,600 instead of 1,200 at present. So far, Railways has operated 468 Shramik special trains.

Following are details of ticket booking other services :

* Booking will resume from 4 pm today at IRCTC website. No agents booking allowed.

* The fare will be on par with Rajdhani trains.

* Individual passengers have to book through IRCTC website or the mobile app.

* Bookings through agents will not be accepted.

* The ARP (advance reservation period) shall be for a maximum of seven days.

* Catering charges will not be included in the ticket fare.

*Provision for pre-paid meal booking, e-catering shall be disabled.

* IRCTC shall make provisions for ‘dry ready to eat’ meals and packaged drinking water on payment on board.

* Information to this effect shall be made available to passengers during the time of ticket booking.

* Blankets, pillows will not be allowed on trains.

* Air Condition will be slightly high since blankets are not provided to passengers.

* Maximum supply of fresh air will be ensured said railways.

* Child fare shall be applicable as per existing child fare rule

* Only confirmed tickets shall be booked Indian Railways is not allowing bookings of RAC/waiting list ticket.

* Tatkal or premium tatkal accommodation is not allowed.

* Current booking shall not be allowed.

* Concessional tickets and tickets against free complimentary passes which are not reimbursable shall not be admissible.

* Cluster/BPT bookings/bulk bookings will not be allowed.

* Online cancellation of ticket bookings can be done only up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure time of the train.

* Cancellation charge shall be 50 % of the fare.

* Passengers should reach railway stations an hour early before the train’s departure time.

* Passengers will have to wear face masks on trains.

* All passengers have to undergo screening at departure and only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the trains

* Only 52 passengers allowed in AC three coaches and the middle berth will not be allotted.

* In Second AC coaches, only 48 passengers allowed.