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Updated May 1st, 2020 at 13:00 IST

A first: Telangana-Jharkhand train for migrants departs on KCR govt request; more invited

Railways on Friday ran a special train to ferry 1,200 stranded migrants from Lingampally in Telangana to Hatia in Jharkhand, a first since the lockdown began.

Reported by: Jay Pandya
Migrant train
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Railways on Friday ran a special train to ferry 1,200 stranded migrants from Lingampally in Telangana to Hatia in Jharkhand, a first since the lockdown began. "The 24 coach train started at 4.50 am today (Friday)," RPF DG Arun Kumar told news agency PTI. It's the only train to be deployed so far, he added.

'Any other train to be planned as per directions of Railways'

Later, a Railway official while speaking to ANI said that the train was run as per directions of the Ministry. "Any other train to be planned as per directions of Ministry of Railways and on request from originating and destination states," he added. 

After the MHA allowed inter-state movement by buses, many states including Bihar, Punjab and Telangana urged the Centre to run non-stop special trains for the transportation of lakhs of stranded migrant workers hit by the national lockdown for over a month. The COVID-induced lockdown is set to end on May 3 and the MHA has directed the states to also register such people and discuss among themselves for ensuring these movements by road.

Punjab CM seeks PM Modi's intervention

Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested him to advise Railway Ministry to arrange special trains to move stranded migrants to their respective destinations. 

READ | Adhir Ranjan requests PM Modi to arrange trains to ferry stranded migrants amid lockdown

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"Estimates indicate that nearly one million workers will need transport to go back to their states. The only feasible option in the circumstances was to arrange special trains, which the Railways may run from point to point, keeping in view the number of persons to be transported to a given destination," Punjab CM wrote in the letter.

Noting that since many other states might also be facing a similar situation, the Captain Amarinder sought the PM Modi's intervention in the matter, urging him to advise the Ministry of Railways to make special arrangements to ensure that these migrant workers reach their destination safely.

READ | 'UP CM has appealed to migrant workers not to travel back to state on foot': Sr Official

READ | Punjab CM requests PM Modi for special trains to enable return of migrants to their homes

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Published May 1st, 2020 at 13:00 IST

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