The government of India on Friday started the transportation of migrant labourers through train. The first train carrying 1,200 migrants to Hatia in Jharkhand started from Lingampally in Telangana on Friday morning.

The decision to run special trains got its final nod from the ministry of home affairs (MHA), after considering a request by the Telangana government. “As of now, only one train is running. The decision on further trains will be taken as per the direction of the MHA and talks with the starting and receiving states,” said a senior railway official.

The decision on more trains will be taken after a final notification from the MHA, which is likely to be out on Friday or Saturday. According to a Railways spokesperson, the train from Telangana with 24 coaches, was a one-off special train and it started after taking all the necessary precautions such as prior screening of passengers, maintaining social distancing at station and in the train too. The special train started at 5 am from Lingampally.

“This was only a one-off special train and any further trains shall be planned only as per the directions of ministry of railways and on request from both the originating and destination state governments,” said spokesperson of South Central Railways (SCR).

According to media reports, meetings were held at the ministry of railways till late Thursday regarding the running of these special trains after a final nod to run special trains came from the ministry of home affairs. Talks about similar multiple trains from West to Eastern India and from South to Eastern parts are taking place between the respective states and the MHA. The special trains will be long-distance single stop ones covering only two stations. These planned special trains are non-air conditioned too.

Giving a major relief to migrant workers, students and tourists stuck in various states, the government allowed inter-state movement by road, in accordance with protocols to be worked out by states receiving the workers and those where they are currently located, early this week. According to the media reports, the Indian Railways has now lined up a proposal for movement of stranded migrant laborers across the country by operating 400 trains daily initially and then scaling it up to 1,000. The decision to run migrant trains were taken more than a month after passenger train operations were stopped on March 25.