All Indian Railways trains to be cancelled from December 1? Don’t fall for WhatsApp messages, here is the truth

As the number of COVID-19 cases have risen across India, a lot of misinformation and fake news is doing rounds on social media, creating panic among people. However, you need to understand that not everything on the internet is true. A message doing rounds these days claims that all the trains operated by the Indian Railways will stop operating from December 1. The message has been spotted on several social media platforms including WhatsApp.  

The message further states that COVID-19 special trains that were announced by government to ferry passengers amid the coronavirus crisis will also stop running. Needless to say, all those people who have already booked their railway tickets for their journeys in the coming month are in a state of confusion and panic.  

However, there is nothing to worry. This is a fake message, as highlighted by the fact-check wing of the Government’s Press Information Bureau. In a tweet, PIB said that Ministry of Railways has taken no such decision on halting of train services after December 1. 

”It is claimed in a #WhatsApp forward that all trains including the #COVID19 special trains will stop operating after 1st December. #PIBFactCheck: This claim is #Fake. @RailMinIndia has taken no such decision on halting of train services after 1st December,” PIB tweeted. 

Meanwhile, the railways has only suspended the operations of its corporate trains run by the IRCTC from Lucknow to Delhi and Ahmedabad to Mumbai as they found few takers amidst the coronavirus pandemic following the resumption of services more than a month ago. 

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC), a public sector undertaking (PSU) of the Ministry of Railways, had restarted the operation of its fleet of Tejas Express trains from October 17, after it was suspended due to the pandemic. According to the IRCTC, the services were resumed as the COVID situation appeared to move towards normal. 

"However, lately there is a surge in the number of COVID cases. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 cases, the Indian Railways has been advocating maintaining social distancing etc. And advising passengers to travel by trains only if it is absolutely necessary. Being aware of the COVID situation, lesser number of persons are travelling in both the Tejas express. Thus, IRCTC has temporarily halted their operations," a statement from the rail PSU said.