Train With Social Distancing And Lots Of Hopes - Shramik Express, Ferrying Stranded Migrant Workers

For millions of Indians, Shramik Express is a ray of hope - a hope that even in this time of distress they can soon be with their loved ones. For 40 days now, millions of Indians have been left stranded in several big cities due to the nationwide lockdown.

BCCL

Most of them are migrant workers, those employed in everywhere from farms to factories and construction units. The sudden lockdown announcement meant that their workplaces were shut and they had nowhere to go as there was no public transport.

While several state governments and NGOs opened shelter homes and provided them with food, the lingering uncertainty meant that everyone had one thing in mind - home.

AP

Now after 40 days the home is looking ever closer to millions of them, thanks to the Shramik Express.

The Indian Railways which had suspended service even before the lockdown came into effect has resumed limited operations with the Shramik Express only to ferry stranded migrant workers.

AFP

The first Shramik Express train left Telangana for Jharkhand on Friday, carrying 1,200 people from Lingampally in the southern state to Hatia district in Jharkhand. The second Shramik Express went from Kerala to Odisha on Saturday and had some 1100 passengers on board.

INDIATIMES

In the coming days, there will be more such Shramik Express trains from and to other states, carrying migrant workers.

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.

AFP

The Railways made it clear that the special trains are only for those being brought and facilitated by state governments only.

Before they were cleared to board the train, the migrant workers were thermal screened at the station.

For all the passengers, masks were mandatory and food has been provided on board.

BCCL

To maintain social distancing, only 54 passengers were allowed in a coach which has a capacity of 72.

In coupes, six passengers have been allowed instead of eight. This makes the total number of passengers on board around 1200.

However, the travel is not free. They have to pay regular sleeper class tickets plus superfast charges of Rs 30 and an additional charge of Rs 20.

BCCL

The ticket charges will be collected by the state governments from where the journey begins and will be then handed over to the railways.

Shramik Express is a non-stop train that will only halt at its destination.

Even after reaching their hometowns, the migrant workers can't rush home as they will have to spend another 14 days in quarantine at designated facilities.