New Delhi: In view of coronavirus outbreak, Indian Railways on Tuesday (March 17) cancelled as many as 85 trains due to low occupancy, said a PTI report, adding that a set of guidelines to zonal railways was also issued its catering staff stating that no employee having fever, cough, runny nose or difficulty in breathing "should be deployed in the business of food handling on Indian Railways".
According to officials, central railways cancelled 23 trains, south-central railways cancelled 29 trains, western railways cancelled 10 trains, southeastern railways cancelled 9 trains, east coast and northern railways cancelled 5 trains each, and northwestern railways cancelled 4 trains. The list includes some popular long haul trains.
As a precautionary measure railway zones like Western Railway and Central Railway have also increased the prices of their platform tickets to discourage large crowds.
The guidelines said, "All staff of catering units should be directed to maintain personal hygiene as per the food safety norms/standards of FSSAI," adding "All staff to wear a facemask and hand gloves, headgear etc while dealing with food production and services to passengers, staff be advised to wash their hands with soap frequently, avoid contact with people having cough or cold, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth, hand gloves to be changed frequently and disposed off in closed dustbin."
It further stated that all supervisors deployed in catering establishments be directed to maintain personal hygiene and impart counselling to their subordinates in this regard, adding "All staff deployed in food production and services should wash their uniforms on daily basis and wear clean uniforms on duty."
The order stated that proper packaging of food items must be ensured and usage of loose items should be avoided as far as possible.
The guidelines added, "Strict prohibition of entry of outsiders/unauthorised people in food dealing area should be ensured. All staff to pay proper attention to advisories/guidelines issued by the ministry of health, FSSAI and local health departments of central and state governments from time to time and ensure compliance thereof."
Indian Railway took another decision to increase prices of platform tickets from Rs 10 to Rs 50 - a five-fold hike - for over 250 stations in the country to minimise the footfalls at the stations amid rising cases of the novel coronavirus.
A senior Rail Ministry official told Zee Media that the zonal railways have decided to increase the prices of platform tickets for crowd management.
He said, “Platform ticket price has been increased to Rs 50 at about 250 stations across the country to ensure crowd control," adding that the Western Railways has increased the platform ticket fare to Rs 50 in 6 Divisions - Mumbai, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Ratlam, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, till further orders.
The increase in platform ticket prices is stated to be a temporary measure to contain an extra load of people on the railway premises.
(With Agency Inputs)
