Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Indian Railways has taken a slew of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 virus. The measures are being implemented across all the zones and relate to dis-incentivising non- essential travel, a proactive outreach and communication campaign, and reduction in the number of trains with low occupancies.
These measures are in accordance with repeated advisories of Government of India to minimise the unnecessary travel and social distancing. Indian Railways has taken steps to discourage citizens from undertaking non-essential journeys by temporarily removing special incentives for many categories which had been existing for their travel. It has done this by pruning the categories of travellers who were preciously entitled to avail concessions.
Of 55 different categories entitled for concession, now only 23 sub categories under Patients, Students and Divyangjans will continue to avail concessions for both Unreserved & Reserved segments w e.f from 00:00 hrs of March 20, 2020. (list attached). As per the new provisions, passengers who had booked tickets on concessions are being allowed to travel on those tickets as per extant rule. That means that for railway tickets already purchased before 00:00 Hrs March 20, 2020, in case of travel, no difference in fare shall be collected.
Withdrawal of these concessions would especially benefit the senior citizens who are most vulnerable to the Corona virus. It has been seen that the risk of spread and mortality rate due to COVID-19 virus is highest among senior citizens as susceptibility increases with age. As the report of the WHO Joint Mission on Corona virus Disease indicates, “Individuals at highest risk for severe disease and death include people aged over 60 years. WHO, in its travel advisory issued on February 29,, 2020, has also suggested elderly travellers and people with chronic diseases or underlying health condition to delay or avoid travel to affected areas. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India has already issued an advisory with several proposed measures and interventions relating to Social Distancing.”
Advisories are being issued to passengers to avoid non-essential train journeys and to ensure that they do not have running fever while they are commencing the journey. At any point of journey if passenger feels that he is having fever, he can contact the Railway Staff for medical attention and further assistance. Social distancing and over crowding is being discouraged by way of conversion of vacant sleeper class coaches into General Sitting Coaches, where ever needed, and raising of platform tickets at various stations across zones on the basis of ground situation.
Appropriate optimisation is being in done in running of trains in conjunction with the availability of alternate trains on these routes.