’Shramik Special’ train fare priced at sleeper class ticket, free meals provided
- The fare also includes superfast charge of ₹30, additional charge of ₹20 and includes complimentary meals, drinking water
- Passengers need not buy anything from Indian Railways as the state governments will co-ordinate and pay on behalf of passengers
Following demands of the state governments to run special trains, the Indian Railways on Friday said it has decided to run 'Shramik Special' trains from Friday to move the stranded labourers, pilgrims, tourists and students.
The fare for these trains will include fare for sleeper mail express train, superfast charge of ₹30, additional charge of ₹20.
The fare includes complimentary meals, drinking water for long-distance trains.
Passengers need not buy anything from Indian Railways as the state governments will co-ordinate and pay on behalf of passengers. Railways will allow only those passengers whom states will bring to railway stations.
Railways Executive Director Media R. D. Bajpai in a statement said as per the guideline issued by Ministry of Home Affairs, it has been decided to run "Shramik Specials' from Labour Day (Friday).
Senior Railway and Home Ministry officials had met on Thursday to discuss the issue.
The officials remarks came on a day when the national transporter ran first special train in almost 40 days from Telangana to Jharkhand to transport 1,200 migrant labourers. The other five "Shramik Special" trains are -- Nashik to Lucknow (9:30 pm), Aluva to Bhubaneswar (6 pm), Nashik to Bhopal (8 pm), Jaipur to Patna (10 pm) and Kota to Hatia (9 pm).
Bajpai said these special trains will be run from point-to-point on the request of state governments as per the standard protocols for sending and receiving such stranded persons.
"The railways and state governments shall appoint senior officials as nodal officers for coordination and smooth operation of these trains," the official said.
Elaborating on the procedures involved to ferry the migrants, he said the passengers have to be screened by the sending states and only those found asymptomatic would be allowed to travel.
"The sending state governments will have to bring these persons in batches that can be accommodated in the train to the designated railway station in sanitized buses by following social distancing norms and other precautions. It will be mandatory for every passenger to wear face covers. Meals and drinking water would be provided to the passengers by the sending states at the originating station," the official said.
He said that the railways will endeavour to ensure social distancing norms and hygiene with the cooperation of passengers. "On longer routes, the Railways will provide a meal en route during the journey," he said.
Bajpai said on arrival at the destination, passengers will be received by the respective state governments, who would make all arrangements for their screening, quarantine, if necessary, and further travel from the railway station.
With inputs from IANS
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Business NewsNewsIndia’Shramik Special’ train fare priced at sleeper class ticket, free meals provided
First Published:1 May 2020, 08:20 PM IST
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