Bengaluru, (Asian independent) Six South Western Railway (SWR) zone special trains ferried 7,445 migrant workers back home to four Indian states amid Covid pandemic, an official said on Wednesday.
“The first Shramik Special train from Hubli left at 12.30 p.m. with 1,434 passengers bound for Jodhpur,” said a SWR zone official.
Jodhpur is 354 km southwest of Rajasthan capital Jaipur.
Wednesday’s second special train with 1,440 migrants departed Chikka Bannavara station from the outskirts of Bengaluru at 3.05 p.m. to Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.
Gwalior is 407 km north of Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal.
The third special train from Malur near Bengaluru departed for Udaipur in Rajasthan at 4 p.m. with 1,500 migrants.
Udaipur is 395 km southwest of Jaipur.
The fourth special train with 1,525 migrants left Chikka Bannavara station for Gorakhpur at 5.33 p.m.
Similarly, Wednesday’s fifth special train departed Malur station for Darbhanga in Bihar at 6.45 p.m. with 1,546 migrants.
Darbhanga is 139 km northeast of Patna.
Likewise, the sixth train from Chikka Bannavara station to Gorakhpur departed at 7.28 p.m. with 1,520 passengers.
Gorakhpur is 213 km southwest of Chandigarh.
The special trains are being organized following the Union Ministry of Home Affairs granting permission for the movement of stranded migrant labourers, workers, students, tourists and others.
In a one way special train arriving from Delhi to KSR Bengaluru station on Thursday, 900 passengers are expected.
“Ten medical counters are likely to be set up by BBMP at the station. Medical screening and further directing of passengers will be taken care of by BBMP,” said the official.
Likewise, an air conditioned special train, 02691, departed from Bengaluru to New Delhi at 8.30 p.m.