After about two months of no operations beyond the recently started special trains for stranded migrant workers and other stranded persons, Indian Railways have announced the resumption of services of 200 trains from June 1.
The online bookings for these trains which run across India on specific routes will begin from May 21.
A communication from the Railway Board to the Ministry of Railways said, “[...] it has been decided that 100 pair special train services shall start from 01.06.2020 on specific routes as per annexure. These special trains will run to notified timings.”
“These services shall be in addition to the Shramik special and the special trains, which are already under operation w.e.f. May 1, 2020 and May 12, 2020. Train composition would be same as of existing regular services. (sic)"
#BREAKING Indian Railways releases list of 200 trains set to start from June 1, 2020 across the country. Bookings to open online. Here's the official list: pic.twitter.com/kR7zpOGtIN
— Rajendra B. Aklekar (@rajtoday) May 20, 2020
As with the earlier trains, only online booking will be allowed. Advance reservation period will be a maximum of 30 days.
“Second seating (2S) fare shall be charged for general coaches being reserved; seat to all passengers,” news agency PTI reported. Further, while RAC (reservation against cancellation) and waitlists will be generated, passengers who are on the waiting list will not be allowed to board the trains running from June 1.
PTI also said that these trains will be non-air conditioned.
Indian Railways has so far run 1,600 special shramik trains since May 1., over 900 of which were bound to Uttar Pradesh, 428 to Bihar and over 100 to Madhya Pradesh. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had said that in the next two days, they would double the number of shramik special trains to 400 per day.