After Criticism, Railways Says It Is Only Getting 15% Cost From States To Ferry Stranded Migrant Workers

The Indian Railways have come under heavy criticism for its decision to charge ticket fees for 'Shramik special trains', deployed to transport workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places in the country amid lockdown to their respective destinations.

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The migrant workers had to pay regular sleeper class tickets plus superfast charges of Rs 30 and an additional charge of Rs 20, which was collected by the states and then handed over to the railways.

The trains service was started on the request of states like Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Bihar, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana to ferry migrant workers back to their home states.

But the moves to charge people who have lost their jobs to take them home had caused heavy criticism from various corners.

AFP

On Monday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi announced that party will bear the charges of rail tickets of migrants stranded across the country amid the nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19.

Sonia Gandhi said, "The Congress has taken a decision that every Pradesh Congress Committee (state unit) shall bear the cost for the rail travel of every needy worker and migrant labourer and shall take necessary steps in this regard."

"This will be the Congress'' humble contribution in service of our compatriots and to stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with them," she said in a statement.

Later Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "On one hand railways is charging for the tickets of the stranded labourers and workers in different states while on the other hand it contributed Rs 151 crore to the PMCARES fund. Solve this puzzle."

BCCL

On Monday BJP leader Subramanian Swamy tweeted saying "Talked Piyush Goel office. Govt will pay 85% and State Govt 15% . Migrant labour will go free."

ANI quoting Railway Ministry sources reported: Indian Railways is running Shramik special trains keeping berths empty in each coach to maintain social distancing. The trains are returning empty from destinations under lock & key. Free food and bottled water is being given to migrants by railways.

"Railways is charging only standard fare for this class from State Governments which is just 15% of the total cost incurred by Railways. Railways is not selling any tickets to migrants and is only boarding passengers based on lists provided by States," the source further said.

It also added that the Railways has run 34 Shramik special trains so far from different parts of the country and is fulfilling its social responsibility of providing safe and convenient travel especially to the poorest of the poor in a time of crisis.