Signaling a return to pre-lockdown normalcy, the railway ministry said Railway ticket booking counters will be opened in a phased manner across the country from Friday.

“Indian Railways has also allowed booking of Reservation Tickets through the Common Service Centers and Ticketing agents with effect from tomorrow,” the national transporter said in a statement.

For this purpose, Zonal Railways have been instructed to decide and notify the opening of reservation counters in a phased manner along with the dissemination of information about their locations and timings as per local needs and conditions.

“Opening of booking centers will mark an important step in the graded restoration of passenger railway services,” it said in a release.

While citing there was the brisk booking of tickets for 200 new trains soon after IRCTC opened its window on Thursday, railway minister Piyush Goyal said that reverse booking has also started across several cities indicating people are ready to come back to work.

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.Indian Railways also announced that it will be providing a full refund for canceled tickets for special trains which are scheduled to run from 1 June 2020.

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.On Wednesday, the Ministry of Railways has released the full list and other reservation rules for the 200 special trains the bookings for which began today from 10 am.

These trains also include the popular trains such as Durontos, Sampark Krantis, Jan Shatabdi and Poorva Express and more. Railways also said that these will have both AC and non-AC classes and fully reserved coaches.

The bookings of tickets can be done through an online IRCTC website or app and advance reservation period shall be a maximum of 30 days for trains to be run from 1 June, Railways added.

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.“Besides counters at stations, people can book or cancel tickets at post offices, Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra (YTSK) licensees and through authorized agents of IRCTC as well. Zonal Railways have been instructed to decide and notify the opening of reservation counters as per local needs and conditions,” a railway ministry official said.