Lockdown: Railways extend suspension of passenger services till May 3

New Delhi, Apr 14 () The Indian Railways on Tuesday extended suspension of all its passenger services till May 3, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to extend the nationwide lockdown amid COVID-19 threat.

Modi on Tuesday announced that the lockdown across the country will be extended till May 3 to fight the coronavirus pandemic, saying the measure has produced a significant outcome in containing the infection.

"In continuation of the measures taken in the wake of COVID-19 lockdown, it has been decided that all passenger train services on Indian Railways, including premium trains, mail/express trains, passenger trains, suburban trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway shall continue to remain cancelled till 2400 hours of May 3," a statement from the railways said.

It also said that to ensure essential supplies in various parts of the country, movement of goods and parcel trains will remain operational.

The railways also said that all counters for booking of rail journey tickets for reserved/unreserved travel at railway stations and outside railway station premises shall remain closed till May 3 midnight.

The Railway Board has also issued instructions to the zones that full refunds for fares of cancelled trains should be initiated by them.

"No advance reservations shall be made till further notice," it said.

After Modi's announcement of a 21-day lockdown across the country on March 22, the railways on March 24 had announced that its suspension of all passenger services will continue till April 14 in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The railways said that passengers could claim a full refund for all trains cancelled in this period till June 21.

Around 12,000 trains will be affected. The Indian Railways operates around 9,000 passenger trains and 3,000 mail express services daily. India has reported 10,363 cases of the virus and 339 deaths so far. ASG GJS KJ