In the time of coronavirus, the Indian Railways has decided to sell masks, gloves, hand sanitisers, bed roll kits at the multi-purpose stalls at platforms. As a precautionary measure to check COVID-19 infection, it is now mandatory to use masks when you step out of home or travel.
Hand sanitizers and fresh bed rolls are important for people who travel during these times. Sheets and pillows are not given to passengers any more after train services started, when the lockdown was relaxed in phases. This was done to check the spread of the deadly virus.
The stalls at platforms, run by private contractors, will now keep items that travellers could require for best hygiene practises. Apart from toiletries, books, over the counter medicines and packaged food items, the stalls will now sell essential items required to protect passengers from coronavirus, according to instructions issued by the Railway Board.
"Mindful of the fact that passengers travelling during these times might need certain items, which they would need to buy in case they forget to get it from home, we have directed our multipurpose stalls to sell them. They have to be sold at MRP and no profiteering will be allowed," a senior railway official told news agency PTI. Bed roll kits will include pillows, blankets and face towels. "Since we have stopped giving these items because of the pandemic, passengers can carry their own or buy from stalls," the official said.
The Indian Railways say that this has been done to make travel more comfortable for passengers while making sure that all government guidelines for COVID-19 are followed.
