New Delhi, May 14 (IANS): In order to facilitate contact tracing of novel coronavirus patients, the Indian Railways on Thursday said that it has started taking destination and other details of passengers.

A senior Railway Ministry official said: "With effect from May 13, the IRCTC has started taking destination addresses of all passengers booking tickets for special trains. This will help in contact tracing, if required."

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is accepting bookings for 15 pairs of Special Rajdhani trains which resumed services on May 12.

The IRCTC is asking the passengers to mention their phone numbers and addresses at which they would be residing after deboarding the trains.

The railways has also asked TTEs to take down the names, PNR and berth numbers, addresses and mobile phone numbers of passengers travelling on Special Rajdhani trains.

The official also said that passengers showing coronavirus symptoms would not be allowed to board the trains and their tickets cancelled.

He said such passengers will get full refunds of tickets.

The railways started bookings for Special Rajdhani trains from May 11.

Till date, the railways has earned Rs 45.30 crore from 1.25 lakh tickets sold online for a total of 2.34 lakh passengers.

On Wednesday, 20,149 passengers travelled by Special Rajdhani trains. On Thursday, around 25,000 more passengers are expected to travel in these trains.