The website of Indian Railways, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has started functioning again, this time with a disclaimer: “During COVID-19, you are responsible for your own health.”
After being down for nearly two hours since 4 pm, when the bookings for select train services were to resume amid the ongoing lockdown, the IRCTC website started running against since 6pm. Train tickets can now be booked online for select trains which will start running from Tuesday.
A railway official told news agency ANI that the Howrah-New Delhi train’s third AC coach tickets were fully booked in less than 10 minutes after the website started running.
“Use face mask, maintain social distancing and wash hands frequently,” the disclaimer on the IRCTC website says.
When the site had crashed, the Railway Ministry said data pertaining to special trains is being fed in the website.
“Data pertaining to special trains is being fed in the IRCTC website. Train ticket bookings will be available in a short while. Please wait. Inconvenience is regretted,” the Ministry of Railway had tweeted.
On Sunday, the government announced that trains will gradually restart operations and some 30 train journeys – 15 pairs of return trips – would run from Delhi to other cities including Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai.
When train services restart, passengers have to be at the station 90 minutes in advance and entry will be stopped 15 minutes before the trains leave.
The passengers will be screened before they enter the station and only those who are asymptomatic will be allowed to board, according to SOPs put out by the home ministry today. Only passengers with confirmed e-tickets will be allowed to enter the station.
