Coronavirus: No blankets for passengers on trains, says Railways

The South Eastern Railway (SER) and the East Coast Railway (ECoR) on Saturday said they decided to withdraw the provision of blankets and curtains in air-conditioned coaches of all trains they operate to prevent spreading of novel coronavirus.

The temperature of the AC coaches will be set suitably so that passengers do not require blankets, SER spokesman Sanjay Ghosh said in Kolkata.

However, blankets will be provided on demand, he said.

Ghosh said the withdrawal of blankets to passengers and curtains will be in effect immediately and will continue till further orders.

In Bhubaneswar, the ECoR also issued a statement saying blankets and curtains will not be provided in AC coaches as part of its preventive measures against the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Special emphasis was on frequent disinfection of coaches and toilets.

A drive is also on to create awareness of the COVID-19 disease among passengers and people in general in local languages at railway stations, trains and hospitals, the ECoR statement said.