Three pairs of additional special trains would run between Odisha’s Khurda Road and three cities of Gujarat from September 12, Railways sources said on Wednesday.
The trains are Khurda Road-Ahmedabad Express (4 days a week), Khurda Road-Gandhidham Express (weekly) and Khurda Road-Okha Express (weekly).
The Khurda Road-Ahmedabad-Khurda Road Special (02843/02844) will leave Khurda Road at 1840hrs on every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturdays from September 12 and from Ahmedabad at 1840hrs on every Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sundays from September 14.The Khurda Road-Okha-Khurda Road Special (08401/08402) would leave Khurda Road at 1040hrs on every Sunday from September 13 and from Okha at 0830hrs on every Wednesday from September 16.
The Gandhidham-Khurda Road- Gandhidham Special (02973/02974) would leave Gandhidham at 2300hrs on every Wednesday from September 16 and from Khurda Road at 1140hrs on every Saturday from September 19, 2020.
The trains would run at notified timings and would be fully reserved ones. Stoppages of the train would be restricted in view of the suggestions of the State Governments, the sources added.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had earlier written to Railways Minister Piyush Goyal urging the latter for resumption of Shramik Special Train services from Odisha to other States to facilitate the return of migrant workers to their workplaces.
After announcement of the new train services, Pradhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Goyal for acceding to his request of running additional trains from Odisha for the convenience of migrant Odias wanting to travel back to their places of livelihood, including Ahmedabad and Surat.