1,200 Odia migrants leave in shramik train

Surat: A day after Supreme Court stayed Orissa High Court’s order directing that migrants must test negative for Covid-19 before entering the state, about 1,200 Odia migrants travelled in a shramik special train from Surat to Jagganthpur in Odisha on Saturday.
Official sources said about 14 shramik special trains were operated from Surat on Saturday carrying some 16,800 migrants, which included 12 trains toward Prayagraj, Pratapgarh, Jaunpur, Lucknow and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and one train each to Jagganthpur in Odisha and Purnia in Bihar.
Railway officials said frequency of trains toward Odisha will be increased from Sunday.
Bhagirath Behara, vice-president of Surat Odia Welfare Association (SOWA). said, “Since all trains to Odisha were cancelled after Orissa High Court’s order, the administration could allot only one train after Supreme Court’s stay order. We have demanded increase in frequency.”
Meanwhile, Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) operated about 350 buses to Amreli, Bhavnagar and other places in Saurashtra, carrying about 10,500 migrants from the region. In the last three days, GSRTC has operated about 850 buses, transporting 25,500 migrants from Surat to their native places.
“The buses are operated on various routes after getting clearance from the district administration. Only 30 passengers are transported in each bus to maintain social distancing norm,” said Sanjay Joshi, divisional controller of GSRTC’s Surat division.
Not only Surat, Valsad administration has also started train service for stranded migrants from Uttar Pradesh. About 1,200 migrants left in a shramik special train from Valsad to Gorakhpur on Saturday.
670 MADRASSA STUDENTS LEAVE IN SHRAMIK TRAIN
Following the efforts of district administration, about 670 migrant students from Bihar, who were stranded in different madrassas run by Maddrasa Islamia Wakf, were sent in a shramik special train from Surat to Bihar’s Purnia on Saturday.
Official sources said 670 madrassa students were stranded in the city after lockdown was announced on March 25. The students, who were supposed to travel to their native places for summer vacation, were unable to travel due to cancellation of trains.
Madrassa Islamia Wakf trustee Salim Chandiwala said, “The examinations of students were over and train tickets were booked from March 25 onwards to send them back to their native places in Bihar. However, the children got stranded due to lockdown. We requested district collector to facilitate the travel of madrassa students. He immediately arranged the travel of 670 students in a shramik special train to Purnia in Bihar.”