Indian Railways to stop train services from December 1? Here's the truth
A WhatsApp message is going viral which claims that trains services will stop running from December 1. The message claims that Covid special trains which were announced by the government to ferry passengers will also be stopped.
However, the message is fake. The circulation of the message on the popular messaging app has caused panic among passengers.
According to the fact check wing of the Press Information Bureau, the claim regarding the operations of trains is totally wrong. It said that the Ministry of Railways has taken no such decision on halting train services.
"It is claimed in a #WhatsApp forward that all trains including the #COVID19 special trains will stop operating after 1st December. #PIBFactCheck: This claim is #Fake. @RailMinIndia has taken no such decision on halting of train services after 1st December," it said in a tweet.
A lot of misinformation and fake news is circulating on social media platforms ever since the coronavirus pandemic rocked the country. The government had in March suspended the train services to restrict the movement of the people. The services were resumed partially in June. Indian Railways is currently running limited trains with strict Covid protocols in place.
The government has time and again urged the public to avoid falling prey to misinformation and fake news. The Press Information Bureau launched the fact-checking arm in December 2019 to curb misinformation and fake news prevalent on social media. The government encourages people to report suspicious messages.
