KOCHI: The first 'special train' carrying migrants labourers from Kerala left with around 1,200 persons from Ernakulam district's Aluva railway station to Odisha on Friday. The train, which left shortly after 6 pm, has no stops anywhere during its 1,836 km journey and is transporting migrant labourers who had registered themselves with Kerala labour department.
The migrants, all hailing from rural Odisha, were brought to the railway station in buses arranged by the police department. The travellers were also provided with food kits for their journey. The train, which has 24 coaches, will ensure that the social distancing norms are maintained by the passenger, said government officials. This is the second special train in the country to transport the stranded migrant workers across the country following Covid lockdown. The first special train left Telangana for Jharkhand at around 4.40 am on Friday, carrying 1,200 people from Lingampally in the southern state to Hatia district in Jharkhand.
"The migrant labourers who lived at Perumbavoor and Aluva were the ones who boarded the special train," said an official from the labour department. The migrant labourers will be transported to their respective states area-wise, he added. "This is to prevent violation of lockdown rules," said the official.
According to him, as to the transportation of labourers from other states, the decision on arranging facility will be taken in the coming days. "As for the people being allowed to board the train, only those who have cleared the COVID-19 tests will get to board the train," said the official.
The seating has been arranged adhering to the social distancing rule. Facility to conduct tests too has been arranged at the railway station. According to railway authorities, the entire process is being managed by the state government.
"We are conducting the service as per the request of the state government based on the direction given by the Union Ministry of Railways. The state government is the one that decides the destination, selects the passengers and takes care of their transportation to the railway station," said the railway official.
"It should be noted that the ticket counters won't be functioning at the railway station," the official added. More trains will be run as per the state government's demand.
Meanwhile, with special trains being arranged for migrants, the police department is on high alert in the areas having migrant camps. "The police is doing everything to prevent any lockdown violation in the backdrop of the allotment of special trains," said V P Pramod Kumar, deputy director, State Police Media Center.
According to him, some of the migrants' rang up the state police chief Loknath Behera and expressed their gratitude towards the government and also the police department. "They lauded the efforts made by various government agencies in making their lives comfortable in the camps," he said.