Railways Ministry advises passengers to use Aarogya Setu app

New Delhi [India], May 11 (ANI): All passengers are advised to download and use the Aarogya Setu application and carry their own linen for travel, the Ministry of Railways said as passenger train services will resume from Tuesday.
"All passengers are advised to download and use the Aarogya Setu application. No Linen, blankets and curtains shall be provided inside the train. Passengers are advised to carry their own linen for the travel. The temperature inside AC coaches shall be suitably regulated for this purpose," an official release said.
Aarogya Setu app was launched in public-private partnership enables people to themselves assess the risk for their catching the coronavirus infection. The app makes its calculations based on a person's interaction with others, using Bluetooth technology, algorithms and artificial intelligence.
Indian Railways will resume passenger train operations from May 12 to 15 destinations nearly after two months when services were stopped due to the coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown.
These train services shall be in addition to the Shramik specials for transporting stranded persons, which are under operation from May 1.
Other regular Passenger services including all mail/express, passenger and suburban services shall remain cancelled until further advice, the railways said.
According to the railways, these special trains which have been started presently, will have only air-conditioned classes i.e. First, Second and Third AC.
The fare structure for the 'Special Trains' shall be as applicable for the regular time-tabled Rajdhani trains (excluding catering charges).
Only confirmed e-tickets shall be booked and no unreserved tickets (UTS) shall be permitted.
"Only online E-Ticketing will be done through IRCTC website or through Mobile App. No tickets will be booked across the reservation counter on any Railway Station. Booking of tickets through 'agents', (both IRCTC Agents and Railway Agents) shall not be permitted. Maximum Advance Reservation Period (ARP) will be of maximum 7 days," read the release.
"Only confirmed e-tickets shall be booked. Booking of RAC/Waiting list ticket and on board booking by ticket checking staff shall not be permitted. Current booking, tatkal and premium tatkal booking shall not be permitted. No Unreserved tickets (UTS) shall be permitted," it said.
No catering charges shall be included in the fare and provision for prepaid meal booking, e-catering shall be disabled.
"However, IRCTC shall make provision for limited eatables and packaged drinking water on payment basis. Information to this effect shall be made available to passengers during time of booking ticket. Passengers are encouraged to carry their own food and drinking water. Dry, ready-to-eat food and bottled water shall be provided on demand, inside the trains on payment basis."
All passengers will be compulsorily screened at the station and only asymptomatic passengers are allowed to enter /board the train.
"Only passengers with Confirmed tickets shall be allowed to enter the Railway station. All passengers shall be wearing face covers/masks at the entry and during travel. The passengers shall reach the station at-least 90 minutes in advance to facilitate thermal screening at the station. Only passengers who are found asymptomatic will be permitted to travel. Passengers shall observe social distancing both at the station and on trains. On arrival at their destination, the travelling passengers will have to adhere to such health protocols as are prescribed by the destination state/UT," read the release.
The Ministry of Railways said that online cancellation shall be permitted up to 24hrs before scheduled departure of train and no cancellation permitted less than 24 hrs before departure of train. Cancellation charge shall be 50 per cent of fare.
As per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines, the movement of the passenger(s), as well as the driver of the vehicle transporting the passenger(s) to and fro the Railway Station, shall be allowed on the basis of the confirmed e-ticket. (ANI)