New Delhi: Indian Railways has announced that it has decided to restore all passenger train services as per the old time table in the next few days, as it was in the pre-COVID period.
Railway Board issued a circular to this effect to the Principal Chief Commercial Managers of all Zonal Railways here on Friday.
The Board in a circular said that the operation of all regular superfast, mail express and passenger trains will be started as per the time table.
The old numbers of these trains will be restored and tickets will be issued according to the classes under which they operated earlier, in the same class and at the same fare rate.
According to the official sources of the Railways, at present 1,744 trains are being run by special numbers.
In the next few days, the zero will be removed from their number and they will be operated under the old numbers.
Due to being a special number, more fare was being charged in some trains, which will be undone soon.
However, the sources also said that unreserved tickets will not be issued in unreserved general class coaches and the COVID protocol will be followed strictly.
On being asked about the earlier arrangements for catering in trains, giving sheet pillow blankets, restoring old concessions in fare, he said that the protocol of COVID will continue to be in force and at present there will be no change in it.
It is noteworthy that due to the COVID epidemic, rail passenger services were stopped on March 20, 2020.
Several months later, a minimum number of trains were started from the special number with the special conditions.
Gradually these conditions were relaxed with the change in the pandemic situation and now it has been decided to remove the special number from the trains and restore the normal fare. (UNI)