THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The railways has started operating special trains to transport guest workers from Kerala to their respective states. Two trains carrying the guest workers to Bihar and Odisha left Ernakulam district on Saturday, while one from Thiruvananthapuram left for Jharkhand.
Two other trains departed from Tirur and Kozhikode to Danapur near Patna and Jharkhand, respectively. A special train had left for Odisha on Friday night from Aluva as well. In total, over 6,000 guest workers have left for their home states. Chief secretary Tom Jose said that 300 to 400 special trains will have to be operated from the state to transport the guest workers to their respective states.
As part of the arrangement, police officers had visited the guest labourers’ camps and identified those who expressed willingness to return to their states. Their documents were verified and they were brought to the railway stations in KSRTC buses following social distancing norms. Health checkups were also conducted.
“A certificate was issued to the guest workers for travel permit and ticket,” said John V Samual, revenue divisional officer in Thiruvananthapuram.
A team of RPF officers are travelling in the trains to ensure security. “We had arranged food kits for the passengers. IRCTC will supply food for the rest of the journey,” said a labour officer in Thiruvananthapuram. The trains have only sleeper coaches and the passengers have been asked to pay for ticket fares, meant for sleeper coaches. Each of the sleeper coaches, which carry 72 people generally, carried only 54 passengers. Middle berths were kept empty.
Two other trains departed from Tirur and Kozhikode to Danapur near Patna and Jharkhand, respectively. A special train had left for Odisha on Friday night from Aluva as well. In total, over 6,000 guest workers have left for their home states. Chief secretary Tom Jose said that 300 to 400 special trains will have to be operated from the state to transport the guest workers to their respective states.
As part of the arrangement, police officers had visited the guest labourers’ camps and identified those who expressed willingness to return to their states. Their documents were verified and they were brought to the railway stations in KSRTC buses following social distancing norms. Health checkups were also conducted.
“A certificate was issued to the guest workers for travel permit and ticket,” said John V Samual, revenue divisional officer in Thiruvananthapuram.
A team of RPF officers are travelling in the trains to ensure security. “We had arranged food kits for the passengers. IRCTC will supply food for the rest of the journey,” said a labour officer in Thiruvananthapuram. The trains have only sleeper coaches and the passengers have been asked to pay for ticket fares, meant for sleeper coaches. Each of the sleeper coaches, which carry 72 people generally, carried only 54 passengers. Middle berths were kept empty.
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