Aarogya Setu mandatory for train passengers: Ministry of Railways

The Indian Railways had advised all passengers availing special train services that started operating from Tuesday to install Aarogya Setu. However, now, downloading the app has been made mandatory.

Railways officials have said though that exceptions will be made on a "case-to-case basis" and have not ruled out "disallowing" passengers who do not have Aarogya Setu installed on their phones.

The initial guidelines issued by the railways ministry for the 15 special trains that will ply between Delhi and other major cities did not mention anything about the Covid-19 contact tracing app being mandatory. However, early today morning, the ministry made it compulsory.  

"Indian Railways is going to start few passenger train services. It is mandatory for passengers to download Aarogya Setu app in their mobile phones, before commencing their journey," the ministry tweeted from their official handle.

Railways spokesperson RD Bajpai has confirmed that Aarogya Setu is now mandatory for travel. And since a mobile number is also compulsory to book tickets online, all passengers must carry their mobile phones with them.

"Passengers should come to the station after installing the Aarogya Setu app and it is mandatory for travel. The railways has made it compulsory and the passengers should install it for their own safety. Since all passengers carry mobile phones, this should not be an issue. Also, we will provide the passengers with all the help needed to use the app," he said.

If passengers do not have mobile phones, officials have said that they will decide on a case-to-case basis. However, they have pointed out that for someone travelling on "a Rajdhani train" it is "unlikely" that they will not have a phone.

"We did not make this app compulsory on the special trains for migrants," Bajpai said.

Sources said installing the app was made mandatory after a Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) missive, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with chief ministers on Monday.

Passengers, who do not have the app installed on their mobile phones, might be asked to do so after their arrival at the station, they added.