The Indian Railways has, on Thursday, announced that it has canceled all the tickets booked for the regular passenger trains for travel on or before June 30 and through the announcement has signaled that the resumption of train services couldn't be possible beyond May 17, which the deadline of the current spell of the lockdown. 

According to the ministry, the cancellation of the tickets won't apply for the 30 trains that were resumed on May 12 and these trains can continue their operations as per the schedule and the Shramik special trains that ferry the migrant workers will remain functional without any hindrance. 

The Railways will refund back the full money to the passengers who had booked tickets for regular trains for travel on or before June 30. These tickets were booked amid the lockdown when the Railways had permitted bookings for the travel in June. The operations of the Indian Railways, which is one of the major employers in the country, had become a standstill on March 25 in the wake of the nationwide lockdown. 

The passenger train services including regular mail, express, and suburban services of the railways have been remaining suspended since March 25 and the Central government has permitted the freight and goods trains to function across the nation with the view of having no shortages in the supply of the essential goods. 

Since the lockdown has been extended till May 17, the bookings have been stopped by the Railways and the cancellation had driven the speculations that the transportation channels across the country will less likely be resumed after May 17. Currently, the Railways operates special trains and Shramik trains. 

Indian Railways had green flagged the operations of 15 special trains on May 12 and these trains will be connecting New Delhi to the 15 major locations of the country. These trains will remain operative and bookings for these trains can be done through the IRCTC website as the ticket booking counters are being closed at all stations. 

Adding to these trains, the Railways has been operating Shramik special trains amid the lockdown and these trains would ferry the migrant workers from one state to the other and these trains are making several departures each day across India by carrying thousands of migrant workers. According to the Union Home Ministry, all the passengers must undergo screening at the stations before the departure. 

People who are asymptomatic will be allowed to board the trains and if a person found to be having high temperature and symptoms for Coronavirus, he/she wouldn't be permitted to travel and will be given with full refund. The passengers have been advised to wear face covers and masks and instructed to adhere to the social distancing norms while at the station and on the travel.