No Decision Yet On Resuming Train, Airline Services: Minister

Union minister Prakash Javadekar said today that the central government has not taken any decision on resuming train or airline services after lifting of the lockdown.  

Asked if the government is looking at any timeline to start passenger transport services like trains or airlines, he old PTI, "It has to start one day but which is that one day you don't know at this moment. Discussion about it is futile because we are examining the situation everyday and drawing new lessons."

Some airlines, Mr Javadekar said, decided on their own to start bookings from May 4, and noted that Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has already clarified that the government has not taken any decision in this regard.

A final decision on the issue will be taken by the government, he said, advising against any speculation over the matter.

The ongoing nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic is scheduled to end on May 3.

Some airlines, including Air India, had opened bookings on select domestic routes from May 4, prompting Mr Puri to advise them to open bookings only after the government takes a decision on starting domestic and international commercial passenger flight services.

"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 had said on Saturday.

Railways had stopped booking passenger tickets since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on April 14 in which he extended the lockdown to May 3.