Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his previous address to the nation on April 14, had extended the lockdown enforced due to the novel coronavirus pandemic to May 3. However, even after many lockdown measures and social distancing in place, the numbers in the positive COVID-19 cases don't seen to die down.
Taking this into cognisance, the Railways and the Airlines won't resume their services after May 3, reported NDTV. According to the report, all the airlines have been told not to take bookings after May 3.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar made it clear on Sunday that the central government has so far not taken any decision on starting train or airline services, asserting that any discussion on the issue is futile.
Asked if the government is looking at any timeline to start passenger transport services like trains or airlines, Javadekar told PTI, "It has to start one day but which is that one day we don't know at this moment. Discussion about it is futile because we are examining the situation every day and drawing new lessons."
Earlier on Saturday, some airlines, including Air India, had opened bookings on select domestic routes from May 4 and from June 1 for international routes.
However, a few hours later, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri clarified that the government has not taken any decision in this regard.
"The Ministry of Civil Aviation clarifies that so far no decision has been taken to open domestic or international operations. Airlines are advised to open their bookings only after a decision in this regard has been taken by the Government," he tweeted.
The Railways have already stopped their bookings since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on April 14 in which he extended the lockdown to May 3.
Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country rose to 15,712 (including 12974 active cases, 2230 cured/ discharged/ migrated people and 507 deaths), said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday morning.
(With PTI inputs)
