PUNE: In the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Indian Railways has decided to remove all the curtains, blankets and bed rolls of all air-conditioned (AC) coaches. Thus, the passengers travelling in such coaches will have to bear for some days till the linen gets replaced in the trains running on the Central line.
Passengers were not given blankets in all the premium trains including Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani Express, Pune-Patna Express and Pune-Jammu Tawi Jhelum Express. Similarly, the temperature in the AC coaches will be fixed at 25 degrees Celsius so that passengers do not need blankets in the coaches till it gets replaced.
Central Railway Chief Public Relation Officer (CPRO) Shivaji Sutar said, “All the curtains in AC coaches will be removed in the next four-five days. New blankets will be provided replacing the older blankets immediately. A blanket will be given to passengers only in the most urgent or special circumstances. However, this arrangement will also be for four-five days, which will be later discontinued.”
MEASURES UNDERTAKEN BY RAILWAYS
- New (unused) blankets will be provided replacing the older blankets.
- The temperature setting in AC coaches will be set to summer settings of 23-25 c.
- Blankets will be only provided in an emergency.
- All used blankets will be segregated in separate linen bags.
- AC linen attendants are strictly counselled against recirculation of used linen.
- Special attention will be given to the segregation of stained hand towels and its washing.