Despite fear of coronavirus spreading, Indian Railways sticks to AC coaches

The South Western Railway on Monday sought to stress that no tickets will be issued at the railway stations for the special trains which will operate from Tuesday, but officials expressed concerns over running AC trains.

Track live updates on coronavirus here

“Only online E-Ticketing will be done through the IRCTC website...Booking of tickets through ‘agents’, (both IRCTC Agents and Railway Agents) shall not be permitted,” it said. While the measure was seen as a tool to avoid crowds at the station, the decision to run only AC coaches First AC, Second AC and Third AC has come as a surprise.

Also Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases

For the last two months, the Union and several state governments have been discussing the dangers of the AC environments, which are said to provide a conducive environment for growth and spread of pathogens, like the coronavirus. A petition has also been filed in the Delhi High Court against the use of central AC systems. To a question, a senior official in the Railways said, “Even we don’t know why they have limited the services to AC coaches. We think the regular sleeper coaches would have been a better option.”

COVID-19 Pandemic Tracker: 15 countries with the highest number of coronavirus cases, deaths

However, the official hinted that the AC trains were preferred due to their high cost. “Most of the people will find it difficult to afford the fare. That, in turn, will reduce the number of people. It will be difficult to control the crowds if sleeper and general coaches are run,” he said.

Meanwhile, the railways said that no blankets, curtains and linens will be provided inside the train. “Passengers are advised to carry their own linen,” it said.