With the ongoing situation , Indian Railways continues to deliver and is operating 1074 Shramik Special trains across the country . Subsequent to the Ministry of Home Affairs order regarding movement of migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places by special trains, Indian Railways had decided to operate “Shramik Special” trains.. Starting from from just 4 trains on 1st May 2020, Indian Railways managed to Operationalise more than 1000 such Shramik Special trains in less 15 days.
From 13th to 15th May , more than 2 lakh person have been transported per day & it is expected to be scaled upto 3 lakh passengers per day . This is for the first time that on a single day, passenger count on Shramik trains crossed the 2 lakh mark. Further , Passengers are being given free meals and water & trains being run by Railways only after concurrence is given both by the State which is sending the passengers and the State which is receiving them .
As on midnight of 15th May,2020, a total of 1074 “Shramik Special” trains have been operationalized from various states across the country. More than 14 lakhs stranded people have been transported back to their home State in last 15 days.
These 1074 Shramik Special trains have originated from various States like Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar & were terminated in various states like Andhra Pradesh,Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal.
In these Shramik Special Trains, proper screening of passengers is ensured before boarding the train. The passengers have to be screened by the sending states and only those found asymptomatic would be allowed to travel. Sending State Governments will have to bring these persons in batches that can be accommodated in the train to the designated Railway Station in sanitized buses following social distancing norms and other precautions. It will be mandatory for every passenger to wear face cover. Meals and drinking water would be provided to the passengers by the sending states at the originating station.
The Railways is also ensuring social distancing norms and hygiene with the cooperation of passengers. On arrival at the destination, passengers will be received by the State Government, who would make all arrangements for their screening, quarantine if necessary and further travel from the Railway Station.
Source : PIB – Press Release
Image Credit : Western Railways
