Telangana to run 40 trains a day for one week to send migrant workers home

In a major relief for migrant workers stranded in different parts of Telangana, the state government has said 40 special trains would be deployed per day for one week beginning Tuesday to ferry them to their native places in states, including Bihar and West Bengal.

These trains will start from various stations in the city, Warangal, Khammam and Ramagundam among other places, a release from Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s office said late on Monday night, announcing the massive evacuation exercise amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The destinations of these trains will be various places in Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, it said, three days after the first such special train carrying 1,200 workers was operated from Telangana to Hatia in Jharkhand after the railways acceded to the request of the state government.

The Railways has announced operation of “Shramik Special” trains to ferry the migrant workers. Rao held a review meeting with senior officials on the hardships being faced by the labourers, stranded in different parts of the state.

“The CM had taken a decision to run special trains for the migrant workers to reach their destination. The CM spoke to SC Railway General manager Sri Gajanan Mallya and requested him to arrange for 40 special trains from Tuesday,” the release said.

State Nodal officer Sandeep Kumar Sultania and Additional DG of police Jitender have been appointed as special officers to oversee the return of the stranded workers, the release said.

Many workers have already registered their names to go to their native places by the special trains. The Chief Minister appealed them not to be distressed as his government was making necessary arrangements.