Coronavirus | Railways to de-train passengers with ‘Home Quarantined’ stamping

Further decline likely in number of international flights

TTEs have been authorised to de-board those with the ‘Home Quarantined’ stamp on their hands.

In a bid to curb the scare and spread of COVID-19, railway authorities have decided not to allow passengers with ‘Home Quarantined’ stamping on hand to travel in trains.

A decision to this effect was taken after passengers in the Mumbai-Delhi Garibrath Express objected to a few others having the stamping made on their arrival from Germany at the Mumbai International Airport on Wednesday.

“After the incident in Western Railway, the instructions are that passengers with ‘Home Quarantined’ stamping on hand should not be allowed to travel with other passengers. TTEs have been authorised to de-board them,” a senior official in the Southern Railway told

The Hindu .

As part of precautionary measures, the Ministry of Railways issued detailed instructions to the acting staff at major railway stations and onboard long distance train on the necessity for upkeep of personal hygiene. Catering staff with fever, cough or cold irrespective of the reasons would not be allowed to work, official sources said.

Sources at the Chennai airport said ‘Home Quarantined’ was being done in Mumbai by health officials as of now depending on the travel history and health parameters. There was a steady fall in the number of passengers arriving here. The deadline for Indian nationals to board flights from the United Kingdom, European Union, Turkey and European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) ended at 5.30 p.m Indian time.

“India nationals cannot board flights home from these countries till March 31. They will be prevented from entering India from any of the Land/Air/Sea Ports. This is a temporary measure in addition to the already existing visa restrictions and shall be in force till the end of this month. We have advised all international flight operators not to allow Indians originating from the prohibited countries to board planes from non-prohibited countries," a senior airport official said.

With the Government of India suspending all visas and Indian nationals also prohibited from travelling from the United Kingdom, the European Union and a few other countries, the number of international flights to/from Chennai was expected to decline further, the official said.