Indian Railways may no longer provide AC coach passengers with blankets. The service, which was stopped due to COVID-19, will not resume even after the pandemic subsides, Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav told ANI on September 6.
Yadav further told the news agency Indian Railways (IR) would either provide passengers with single-use bed sheets or do away with bedsheets and blankets entirely. “A detailed policy has been formulated and a decision has been taken,” he added.
The decision was taken with a view to maintaining hygiene during the rail journey, Yadav said.
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Yadav meanwhile dismissed media reports claiming the Railways is looking to stop operations of around 500 trains, stating: “No decision has been taken to stop the operation of any train nor will any station be closed.”
He added that a 'Zero-Based Time Table' is being prepared with an aim to “make rail travel as convenient as possible and to provide congestion-free travel to passengers.” The Indian Institute of Technology – Mumbai (IIT-Mumbai) has been enlisted to help make the same.
"It is also possible that some new trains would be introduced or the existing trains might be renamed or rescheduled," Yadav added.
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