50% of the tickets for each train will be sold from now on — 25% at the counters and 25% online
Bangladesh Railways (BR) will begin operating all intercity and commuter trains with 50% seating capacity to contain the spread of novel coronavirus as the country is witnessing a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases.
The latest directive is to come into effect from Thursday, according to the BR official Facebook page.
The page also mentions that BR authorities will start selling tickets for 50% of the total seats to ensure physical distancing among the passengers.
As per the directive, the authorities will sell 25% of the total seats online and the remaining 25% at the counters, while keeping train fairs unchanged.
Taking the sharp rise in Covid-19 cases into consideration, the government on Monday issued fresh directives, which said public transports cannot carry passengers over 50% of their capacity and have to follow Covid-19 guidelines while doing so.
The order will remain in effect for the next two weeks.
The authorities have instructed railway officials concerned to maintain proper hygiene rules while transporting passengers and luggage, reports Bangla Tribune.
However, officials at several railway stations said it would not be possible to fully implement the new guidelines as tickets for April 1 were already sold in advance.
Kamalapur Railway Station Manager Masud Sarwar said instructions, including selling tickets for 50% of the total seats, had come from the office of the general manager of the Eastern Railway. “We have started making preparations to implement the guidelines.”
He added from now on tickets will go on sale five days in advance. “However, as tickets for March 30 were sold out 10 days ago, immediately implementing the latest guidelines have become problematic.”
