NEW DELHI, MARCH 21
The IRCTC has ordered the closure of all onboard catering services in mail or express trains from March 22 until further notice in view of the coronavirus outbreak, according to an order from the railway subsidiary on Friday.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has also decided to close all food plazas, refreshment rooms, Jan Aahars and cell kitchens until further notice.
Food plazas, refreshment rooms, Jan Aahars and cell kitchens should be closed until further advice.
“The static units supplying meals to prepaid trains which are in operation may continue to operate. The onboard catering services in mail express trains and TSV trains should be closed until further advice,” the order stated.
It also said that if there is a demand for onboard services then only propriety article depot (PAD) items, tea, and coffee may be allowed to be sold in trains.
“Such an operation should be conducted using a minimum number of staff. The licensee should be requested to take care of their catering staff on humanitarian grounds during this period of closure.
“These instructions shall come into force from March 22. For the license fee, this period will be covered under force majeure. If there is a demand, a license is permitted to sell PAD items, tea, and coffee,” the order stated.
Janata curfew: Railways cancells 3,700 trains for Sunday
The railways on Friday announced cancellation of 3,700 passenger and long-distance mail/express trains on Sunday to coincide with the ‘Janata curfew’, in a step which triggered speculation as to whether the country is being readied for a lockdown that may have to be enforced if there is a surge in Covid-19 cases.
According to the railways, “No passenger or express train will originate from any railway station in the country between Saturday/Sunday midnight to 10 pm on Sunday.”
Some 14 mail, express and 154 passenger trains of Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Bhavnagar divisions will remain cancelled on March 22, on account of Janata curfew.
In the order issued on Friday evening, the Railway Board said suburban rail services in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Secunderabad shall be reduced to a bare minimum level only to cater to essential travel. Each zone has been delegated the power to decide on the number of trains they want to allow on Sunday.
