In the quest to send migrant workers home, States started operating ‘Shramik’ special trains from the first week of May. These trains were known to have 24 coaches and were sent without any stops.
Previously, these trains were allowed to carry 50 passengers per coach and 1200 in total. The travellers were thoroughly checked, and precautions were taken for limiting the spread of the virus.
The Railway Ministry has now released modified pointers for ‘Shramik’ special trains, hoping to make the ferrying of the labourers quicker and hassle-free.
Revising the capacity of the trains the ministry has determined the capability to extend it from present 1,200 to greater than 1,700. The pointers state that the capability of these trains must be equal to the variety of the sleeper berths. The trains are now also allowed to have three stoppages excluding the terminating station.
The ministry has also requested the states to allow more trains to leave and present approvals liberally. This subject was addressed in the Homes Secretary’s assembly, and also in a letter, he wrote to the states.
Home Ministry’s Ajay Bhalla in his letter to the states mentioned that each all the states and union territories ought to cooperate with railway staff in working extra ‘Shramik’ particular trains for migrant staff. He requested states and union territories to make sure that migrant workers don’t resort to strolling on roads, rail tracks and miss their particular trains.
The Indian Railways has till date, operated 428 ‘Shramik’ special trains since May 1 and ferried more than 4.5 lakh migrant labourers, stranded in various parts of the nation, amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
Till May 9, out of the 287 trains which had terminated, 127 terminated in Uttar Pradesh, 87 in Bihar, 24 in Madhya Pradesh, 20 in Odisha and 16 in Jharkhand. Four trains terminated in Rajasthan, three in Maharashtra, two each in Telangana and West Bengal and one in Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
