Railway Board orders withdrawal of curtains, blankets from AC coaches to check spread of COVID-19

The Railway Board on Sunday told all zonal railways to remove curtains and withdraw blankets from all trains as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Board also directed to set the minimum temperature of ACs at 24-25 degree celsius.

The zonal railways have been directed to provide blankets with freshly washed covers in the first AC coaches on demand and also keep some extra washed bedsheets for exigencies.

Adequate publicity should be given to this precautionary measure so that passengers are suitability prepared, the Railway Board said, adding that a brief message should be given to AC passengers through interactive voice response or SMS.

So far, the Central Railway and the Western Railway have withdrawn curtains and blankets from AC coaches.

This comes at a time when, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India has recorded 107 positive cases of coronavirus.