Shares of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) rose as much as 16 per cent to hit an intraday high of ₹ 1,596 on the BSE as Covid-99 vaccination plan unveiled by the government triggered hopes of renewal of travel and tourism which lifted travel related share prices during the session, analysts said. Apart from IRCTC, aviation sector shares such as InterGlobe Aviation also rallied 5.79 per cent and SpiceJet gained 10 per cent. IRCTC shares saw heavy trading volumes as trading volumes spiked by more than 14 times on the BSE.

As many as 4.11 lakh shares changed hands on the BSE compared with an average of 29,000 shares traded daily in the past two weeks.

The government for the first time unveiled its Covid-19 vaccination plans. COVID-19 vaccine will be first given to about one crore health workers from both the public and private sectors, and then to about two crore front-line workers, the Union Health Ministry said in its presentation at the all-party meet today, sources said.

The presentation was given by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan at the meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In its presentation, the ministry said that COVID-19 vaccine will be first given to about one crore health workers, including doctors and nurses, the sources told news agency Press Trust of India.

Thereafter, it will be given to about two crore front-line workers such as police and armed forces personnel, and municipal workers, among others, they said.

Hopes of revival of travel and tourism related activities after the proposed vaccination plan led to buying interest in shares of travel and tourism services providers.

IRCTC shares ended 14.26 per cent to close at ₹ 1,573, outperforming the Sensex which rose 1 per cent.