Four Shramik Express trains depart from Punjab with 4,768 stranded migrant labourers
Ferozepur, May 10, 2020: On-demand from the state government, the railways arranged four Shramik Express trains in Ferozepur division, on Sunday which moved from Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Amritsar.
Due to lockdown, migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons are stranded at different places. The Ministry of Home Affairs had issued an order allowing the inter-state government of stranded migrant persons. In fact, the move comes in the backdrop of increasing the inability of states to sustain migrant labourers in their states even as revenue sources dry up.
Migrant workers who had registered for going back to their native villages were brought to the railway station in private buses before the departure of train for screening.
The Railway Protection Force – RPF ensured that the passengers maintained social distancing norms while entering the platform. Aadhaar card and body temperature 0f each passenger was checked before being allowed to go to respective coaches.
The train journey will run on end to end basis and there will be no commercial halt en route.
Giving this information, DRM Rajesh Aggarwal said, In all, 30 special trains – Jalandhar 14, Ldhiana 15 and Amritsar 1 - have left for other states from Ferozepur rail division, till date ferrying 34,436 passengers.
He said, today four trains were operated as per the demand of the state government carrying 4,768 migrants – 1200 migrants from Ludhiana to Hardoi, 1200 from Jalandhr to Sultanplur, 1168 from Amritsar to Baroni and 1200 from Ludhiana to Betia.
All the migrants were handed over masks and sanitizers before boarding the train as a precautionary measure.
We will send all those stranded people who are willing to go back to their native places by all possible transport modes, said district administration official.