Providing huge relief to people, especially in the country's small towns and cities, the railways will run 200 special passenger trains from June 1, the national transporter said on Tuesday. Bookings for these trains began Thursday on the IRCTC website.
The booking is only available through the IRCTC website and the mobile app.
These trains will have non-air conditioned second class sleeper coaches and will run daily.
The ARP (advance reservation period) shall be maximum 30 days and RAC and wait list will be generated as per extant rules, however, waiting list ticket-holders shall not be permitted to board the train.
No unreserved (UTS) tickets will be issued and no tickets will be issued on board to any passenger during the journey. No tatkal and premium tatkal booking shall be permitted.
Just like the 15 pairs of special trains being run on the Rajdhani routes, on these trains too face cover/mask and Aarogya Setu app will be compulsory and passengers have to reach the station 90 minutes before the scheduled departure of train.
Only asymptomatic passengers would be allowed to travel and those found symptomatic will get full refund, railways said.
All quotas in these trains have been restored and concessions will be given to only four categories of Divyangjan and 11 categories of patients. Passengers have also been asked to carry their own linen and only packed food items will be available in the panty cars on payment basis.
These special services shall be in addition to the existing Shramik special trains being run since May 1 and Special AC trains being run since May 12.
"The fare of these trains will be minimal sleeper rates and can be availed by all categories of people," a railway official said.
Earlier, the railways had cancelled all its regular passenger services till June 30.
Railways said the move to start these 200 trains would also be helpful for migrants who can avail these trains if they are unable to board the Shramik Special trains.
So far, more than 21.5 lakh migrant workers have been transported to their home states through 'Shramik Special' trains.
Seven of these trains will depart from Kerala, officials informed. The trains being considered are:
• Ernakulam-Nizamuddin Mangala Express
• Ernakulam-Nizamuddin Duranto Express
• Thiruvananthapuram-New Delhi Kerala Express
• Thiruvananthapuram-Lokmanya Tilak Netravathi Express
• Alleppey-Dhanbad Express
• Thiruvananthapuram-Kozhikode Janashatabdi
• Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur Janashatabdi
