21.5 L stranded labourers reached home by Shramik Specials: Indian Railways

Hyderabad: More than 21.5 lakh migrants have been transported to their home states through “Shramik Special” trains in 19 days and more than 1,600 “Shramik Special” trains were operated for this purpose, according to the Indian Railways.

As a relief to migrant labourers across the country, the Indian Railways has decided to double the number of Shramik trains. Accordingly, around 200 trains have started to run from May 19 midnight, the Railways said.

In addition to this, the Railways has also decided to introduce 200 time-tabled daily new trains from June 1, 2020. Almost 6 lakh people are expected to travel in nearly 600 non-AC trains from June 1.

“The booking for these trains will be done ONLY online and shall commence in a few days. Trains will be non-AC. Schedule and trains will also be announced soon,” the ministry said.

“No tickets will be sold at any railway station and prospective travellers should not come to the railway station to buy tickets,” it added.

The Indian Railways appealed to the migrants not to panic and said efforts are being made to ensure that all of them are able to travel to their home states at the earliest.

“Efforts will be made such that they will be able to board trains from the railway station on main line which is closest to their existing location,” the Railways said.

भारतीय रेल द्वारा निरंतर श्रमिक ट्रेनों का परिचालन जारी है: अब तक कुल 1600 ट्रेनों के माध्यम से लगभग 21.5 लाख श्रमिकों को उनके स्थानों तक पहुंचाया जा चुका है।

श्रमिकों को बड़ी राहत देते हुए भारतीय रेल आज के दिन लगभग 200 श्रमिक स्पेशल ट्रेनों का परिचालन करने जा रहा है।

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) May 19, 2020

The Railways authorities has asked the state governments to identify and locate these migrants who are walking on roads to go to their home states and transport them to the nearest main line railway station after doing their registration at the nearest district.