New Delhi: The government of India (GoI), having decided to transport those stranded in different states to native places by trains, has named them ‘Shramik Special’ trains which started operations from ‘Labour Day’, that is May 1.
Six Shramik Special trains – including one from Kerala’s Aluva to Bhubaneswar — left different stations for six destinations on the opening day of this mega exercise, much to the relief of thousands of citizens held up far from home because of the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus.
According to the MHA directive, Shramik Special trains will be run from point to point on the request of both the concerned state governments as per standard protocols for sending and receiving such stranded persons — migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and others.
The Railways and state governments shall appoint senior officials as Nodal Officers for coordination and smooth operation of these Shramik Specials.
Following are the conditions to be followed:
a) All passengers who wish to travel have to be screened by the sending states and only those found asymptomatic would be allowed to travel. Sending state governments will have to bring these persons in batches to the designated railway station in sanitized buses following social-distancing norms and other precautions.
b) The Railways will endeavour to ensure social distancing norms and hygiene with the cooperation of passengers.
c) It will be mandatory for every passenger to wear face cover. Meals and drinking water would be provided to the passengers by the sending states at the originating station.
d) On longer routes, the Railways will provide a meal during the journey.
e) On arrival at the destination, passengers will be received by state government officials, who would make all arrangements for their screening, quarantine if necessary and further travel from the railway station.
Following Shramik Special trains are being run on May 1:
1. Lingampalli (Telangana) to Hatia (Jharkhand)
2. Aluva (Kerala) to Bhubaneswar (Odisha)
3. Nasik (Maharashtra) to Lucknow (UP)
4. Nasik (Maharashtra) to Bhopal (MP)
5. Jaipur (Rajasthan) to Patna (Bihar)
6. Kota (Rajasthan) to Hatia (Jharkhand).
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