Masks, social distancing: Railways gears up for post-lockdown services
NEW DELHI: From encouraging social-distancing on board to asking passengers to wear face masks and using the Arogya Setu app to check their health status before letting them in, the Railways is mulling over several proposals for its post-lockdown operations.
While no decision has yet been taken on when the passenger services, which were suspended in the wake of the Coronavirus lockdown from March 25, will be resumed, officials said it is likely to be done in a phased manner after a green signal from the government.
A decision, officials said, is likely to be taken in the coming week on how to restore services.
They said the railways has discussed the option of resuming services only on specific approval of each train from the Railway Board. Suggestions on phase-wise resumption have to be provided by the zone to the board.
"These are sensitive times and we are not looking in terms of revenue generation for now. The focus is on passenger safety and to ensure that the disease does not spread. Trains will run in due course, once the government gives us the green signal. However as of now, we have not taken any decision, said a senior officer.
In the zones, officials are also identifying trains and routes which can be resumed with the approval of the board. The focus, say officials, is to see if routes catering to migrant workers can be resumed initially and also those that are not travelling or has halts at COVID-19 hotspots.
Officials added that the railways will also have to factor in how the lockdown is eventually opened. If it is selective, then trains will only run in areas where lockdown is lifted, officials said.
The Railways is also unlikely to rescind a March 19 order suspending all concessions for passengers except those offered to patients, students and people with disabilities in a hurry, even after the lockdown period to discourage unnecessary travel.
The Railways, officials said, are also discussing protocols that need to be followed once services begin to ensure safety of passengers.
They are mulling options like thermal screening and other methods to scan passengers boarding trains.
Meanwhile, the Indian Railways has developed a lowcost ventilator, Jeevan, at its Kapurthala Rail Coach Factory that could save thousands of lives at a time the country is grappling with a shortage of the medical equipment in its fight against Coronavirus.