NEW DELHI: The railways on Friday announced cancellation of 3,700 passenger and long-distance mail/express trains on Sunday to coincide with the ‘janata curfew’, in a step which triggered speculation as to whether country was being readied for a lockdown that may have to be enforced if there is a surge in the cases of coronavirus According to the railway order, “No passenger or express train will originate from any railway station in the country between Saturday/Sunday midnight to 10pm on Sunday.”In the order issued on Friday evening, the Railway Board said suburban rail services in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Secunderabad shall be reduced to bare minimum level only to cater to essential travel. Each zone has been delegated the power to decide on the number of trains they want to allow on Sunday.PM Narendra Modi had on Thursday appealed people to implement a “janata curfew” on Sunday by confining themselves to their homes for 14 hours, beginning 7am. Although the PM suggested that it was up to people to observe the “curfew” voluntarily, the decision of the railways to scale down services on world’s second largest network to the skeletal level, led many to wonder whether the Sunday exercise was a preparatory drill for a larger shutdown if that becomes necessary.According to the order, no passenger trains (excluding suburban services) will originate from any railway station in the country from Saturday/Sunday midnight to 10pm on Sunday, which will translate into cancellation of nearly 2,400 trains.“However the passenger train services already on run at 7am on Sunday will be allowed to run to their destinations. Divisions should keep a watch and trains which are empty could be short terminated, if required,” it said.All long distance mail/express and intercity trains originating between 4am and 10pm on Sunday will also be cancelled. Their numbers are estimated to be approximately 1,300 trains. “However trains already on run at 7am on the day (Sunday) will be allowed to run to their destinations. Divisions should keep a watch and trains which are empty could be short terminated, if required,” the order said.The Board issued directions to all zones to ensure that the passengers already travelling in trains or arriving at stations during the shutdown don’t face any hassles. It said passengers alighting en route stations from trains already on run and those willing to stay at stations may be accommodated in the waiting halls, waiting rooms and concourses without creating crowding.“Adequate arrangements may be made to facilitate hassle-free refund to passengers affected by train cancellations,” the order said. It also delegated power to the divisional managers to run special trains, if there is a need to clear rush.The “social distancing” campaign, which PM Modi has termed as “janata curfew” will be observed from 7am to 9pm on March 22. He appealed to citizens, barring those in essential services, to not get out of their houses.The ticketing and catering arm of railways, IRCTC on Friday issued an order to its five group general managers to close food plazas, refreshment rooms, jan aahaar and cell kitchens till further orders from Sunday. It also said that the on-board catering services in mail and express trains should be closed. It asked its vendors to “take care of their catering staff on humanitarian grounds” during this closure.Amid reports of some states having ordered cancellation of other modes of public transport, particularly buses, road transport ministry officials said they were not issuing any directions. “States can take decisions as per their requirement,” said an official.