After repeated flip-flops on the issue of mode of transport for millions of migrant workers stranded across the country in the lockdown, the Centre on Friday allowed using of trains for ferrying them to their home States.
Addressing a Press conference, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Punya Salila Srivastava said stranded people such as migrant workers, tourists, pilgrims and students can now be transported using trains. “States and the Railway Board will make the necessary arrangements for the same,” she said.
Only a day ago, the Centre said buses can be used to transport these workers. This was opposed by several States which demanded that special trains should be introduced to transport these migrant workers, claiming that it would be impossible to arrange tens of thousands of buses for this purpose.
Before that the Centre repeatedly opposed the demand to send them back home, saying it would lead to spread of coronavirus.
The Ministry of Railways announced to six “Shramik Special” trains — Lingampally to Hatia, Nasik to Lucknow, Aluva to Bhubaneswar, Nasik to Bhopal, Jaipur to Patna and Kota to Hatia to move migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places from the Labour Day (May 1).
According to Railways, based on Home Ministry guidelines and as per the demands received from the various State Governments, Railways decided to run six special Shramik Special trains from Friday.
Many more such trains will be required in the coming days to transport these workers. Even if one train could accommodate 1,000 workers after maintaining social distancing, Bihar itself would require 20,000 such trips to complete the movement of workers.
The entire exercise could extend more than one month, at the earliest.
The first special train has left from Lingampalli in Telangana to Hatia in Jharkhand on Friday morning, ferrying over 1,200 migrants in 24 coaches. The second train which ferrying over 1,200 migrants people has left from Aluva railway station, Ernakulam to Bhubaneshwar.
“These special trains will be run from point to point on the request of both the State Governments concerned as per the standard protocols for sending and receiving such stranded persons. The railways and State Governments shall appoint senior officials as nodal officers for coordination and a smooth operation of these ‘Shramik Specials’,” the Railways said.
According to the guidelines issued by the railways, the passengers of these trains will have to be screened at the boarding points by the States sending them and only those found asymptomatic of Covid-19 will 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 sanitised buses, following social-distancing norms and other precautions. It will be mandatory for every passenger to wear a face cover. Meals and drinking water would be provided to the passengers by the sending states at the originating stations.
Earlier, a spokesperson of the South Central Railway zone, said the special train from Lingampally to Hatia will reach on Saturday morning. The 1,140 migrant workers, all residents of Jharkhand, were stranded at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Hyderabad campus at Kandi in Sangareddy district due to the lockdown. The 24-coach train, which usually seats 72 people in a compartment, contained only 54 people in each in accordance with social distancing guidelines. All passengers were also screened for symptoms before being allowed to board.
Officials said no public announcement was made on the running of the special train since it could have triggered a chaos with thousands assembling at railway stations in anticipation of more such trains.
On Wednesday, hundreds of migrant workers --- mostly from Jharkhand and Bihar --- frustrated with prolonged lockdown and non-payment of wages by contractors despite repeated requests went on the rampage and attacked the police with sticks and stones at the IIT campus.
Railways said the Ministry will issue detailed guidelines for sale of tickets, and social distancing and other safety measures to be observed at train stations, platforms and within the trains.