Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday made it clear that the central government has so far not taken any decision on starting train or airline services, asserting that any discussion on the issue is futile.

A day earlier, the Centre had 'advised' airlines to open bookings only after the government takes a decision on resuming passenger flight services, hours after Air India announced it opened bookings on select domestic and international routes from May 4 and June 1, respectively.

Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri had tweeted later: 'The Ministry of Civil Aviation clarifies that so far no decision has been taken to open domestic or international operations.'

Javadekar, when asked if the government is looking at any timeline to start passenger transport services like trains or airlines, told PTI: 'It has to start one day but which is that one day you don't know at this moment. Discussion about it is futile because we are examining the situation every day and drawing new lessons.'

Some airlines, Javadekar said, decided on their own to start bookings from May 4, and noted that civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri has already clarified that the government has not taken any decision in this regard.

A final decision on the issue will be taken by the government, he said, advising against any speculation over the matter.

The ongoing nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic is scheduled to end on May 3.

Railways had stopped booking passenger tickets since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on April 14 in which he extended the lockdown to May 3.