MANGALURU: Three Shramik Special trains, carrying stranded migrant labourers, have left Mangaluru since Saturday. While the first one with 1,168 passengers left Mangaluru Junction for Bokaro Steel City around 10pm on Saturday, two more trains with almost an equal number of labourers left for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on Sunday.
The district administration and railways ensured orderly departure of 3,420 labourers – a far cry from Saturday’s chaos outside Mangaluru Central railway station when more than 1,000 people gathered falling prey to a rumour that train services were available for their return home.
The railways has pared the passenger capacity in these 24-ICF coach special trains to meet social distancing norms. Sources in Southern Railway under whose jurisdiction Mangaluru Junction railway station comes, said that 54 passengers are being accommodated in the sleeper class coaches against the capacity of 72. In the second class general coaches, 34 are travelling against the capacity of 54 and 24 in 12 berths available in guard-cum-luggage vans.
Each Shramik Special passenger should compulsorily have registered in the Seva Sindhu portal of the state government, said Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh. “We have a large number of migrant labourers from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal in camps here. Trains are being dispatched to these states with concurrence of their governments to receive these migrant labourers there,” she said.
Apart from the base fare, which varies to each destination, the labourers are also required to pay superfast charge and surcharge of Rs 30 and Rs 20 respectively. The IRCTC is tasked with providing food to passengers at pre-designated places. The local administration takes care of the same at the departing station, sources said. Railways is collecting fare from every passenger aged above 5 on these special trains.
After the riot-like situation at Mangaluru Central railway station on Saturday, Dakshina Kannada MP and state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel petitioned minister of state for railway Suresh Angadi to operate these special trains. Sindhu said with more than 6,000 migrant labourers in town, the administration will coordinate with KSRTC to bring them to the railway station and with the railways to facilitate their departure from this coastal city.
The district administration and railways ensured orderly departure of 3,420 labourers – a far cry from Saturday’s chaos outside Mangaluru Central railway station when more than 1,000 people gathered falling prey to a rumour that train services were available for their return home.
The railways has pared the passenger capacity in these 24-ICF coach special trains to meet social distancing norms. Sources in Southern Railway under whose jurisdiction Mangaluru Junction railway station comes, said that 54 passengers are being accommodated in the sleeper class coaches against the capacity of 72. In the second class general coaches, 34 are travelling against the capacity of 54 and 24 in 12 berths available in guard-cum-luggage vans.
Each Shramik Special passenger should compulsorily have registered in the Seva Sindhu portal of the state government, said Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh. “We have a large number of migrant labourers from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal in camps here. Trains are being dispatched to these states with concurrence of their governments to receive these migrant labourers there,” she said.
Apart from the base fare, which varies to each destination, the labourers are also required to pay superfast charge and surcharge of Rs 30 and Rs 20 respectively. The IRCTC is tasked with providing food to passengers at pre-designated places. The local administration takes care of the same at the departing station, sources said. Railways is collecting fare from every passenger aged above 5 on these special trains.
After the riot-like situation at Mangaluru Central railway station on Saturday, Dakshina Kannada MP and state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel petitioned minister of state for railway Suresh Angadi to operate these special trains. Sindhu said with more than 6,000 migrant labourers in town, the administration will coordinate with KSRTC to bring them to the railway station and with the railways to facilitate their departure from this coastal city.
Coronavirus outbreak
Trending Topics
LATEST VIDEOS
More from TOI
Navbharat Times
Featured Today in Travel
Quick Links
Kerala Coronavirus Helpline NumberHaryana Coronavirus Helpline NumberUP Coronavirus Helpline NumberBareilly NewsBhopal NewsCoronavirus in DelhiCoronavirus in HyderabadCoronavirus in IndiaCoronavirus symptomsCoronavirusRajasthan Coronavirus Helpline NumberAditya ThackerayShiv SenaFire in MumbaiAP Coronavirus Helpline NumberArvind KejriwalJammu Kashmir Coronavirus Helpline NumberSrinagar encounter
Get the app