Special trains bring UP migrants stranded in Guj, AP back home

Prayagraj: Seven Shramik Special trains and several UPSRTC buses ensured that hundreds of migrants native to Uttar Pradesh reached their home towns on Sunday amidst the lockdown enforced in the wake of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. These migrants had been stranded in various cities of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh because of the lockdown.
While three Shramik Special trains arrived at Prayaraj Junction, two arrived at Kanpur Central station. Besides, one train arrived each at Etah and Aligarh railway stations.
Public relations officer (PRO) of North Central Railway’s Prayagraj division SK Gupta said, “Of the three, one Shramik Special (07609) train arrived at Prayagraj Junction’s platform number 1 from Kurnool around 9.10 am. It was carrying 1,248 passengers in its 24 coaches. These passengers were later sent to their respective native districts via 42 buses.”
At around 12.55 pm, another Shramik Special train (09579) arrived at Prayagraj Junction from Navsari with 1,151 passengers on board. The migrants were sent to their towns via 37 roadways buses.
The third Shramik Special train arrived at Prayagraj Junction around 6pm and had 1,200 passengers travelling in its 22 coaches. It arrived at platform number 1 of the junction from Surat.
“After the migrants’ arrival, Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel, and ticket checking staff directed the passengers to stand in queues in marked circles,” said Gupta. The passengers were then made to undergo a medical check up and provided food and water. They were then sent to their respective hometowns by UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses.
In Kanpur, the train from Godhra (Gujarat) arrived at 8.30am with 1,300 passengers on board. The 22-coach train arrived at platform number 9. The migrants headed home in 52 UPSRTC buses, after a medical examination.
Another Shramik Special train arrived at Kanpur Central station around 11.50am at the same platform from Surendra Nagar, carrying 1,228 passengers in its 24 coaches. These passengers were also sent to their native home towns by 46 buses after all formalities.
In Aligarh, the Shramik Special train from Dahod arrived at 7.30am with 1,281 passengers on board. There were 22 coaches in the train. The migrants were sent to their home towns via 50 state buses.
A Shramik Special train carrying 1,200 passengers arrived at Etah railway station from Veeramgam on Sunday. These migrant were later sent to their home districts by 48 buses.