PremiumNew Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday allowed the movement of migrant workers, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places due to lockdown, by special trains to be operated by the Ministry of Railways.
The decision was taken two days after the government approved their movement through buses to transport them from one state to another. The order came as the extended lockdown is slated to end on May 3.
These people are those who have been stranded at various places in different states due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown that is in place to fight the coronavirus pandemic since the beginning of the first phase of restriction from March 24 midnight. After the end of the first 21-day lockdown the restriction was extended for another 19 days till May 3.
Considering the problems being faced by these stranded people, the Home Ministry issued the order mentioning that the Ministry of Railways will designate nodal officers for coordinating with state and Union Territories (UTs) for the movement of the stranded people.
"As per the guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs, it has been decided to run “Shramik Special" trains from “Labour Day" today, to move migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places due to lock down," the Indian Railways said in a statement.
These special trains will be run from point to point on the request of both the concerned State sovernments 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 “Shramik Specials".
The passengers have to be screened by the sending states and only those found asymptomatic would be allowed to travel. "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 following social distancing norms and other precautions. It will be mandatory for every passenger to wear face cover. Meals and drinking water would be provided to the passengers by the sending states at the originating station," Railways said further
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 enroute during the journey.
The order issued to all states and the UTs as well as ministries informs that the Ministry of Railways will issue detailed guidelines for sale of tickets and for social distancing and other safety measures to be observed at stations, platforms and within the trains. The rest of the conditions stipulated for movement of persons will continue to apply to such movements, the order said.
Signalling a big relief for lakhs of stranded migrant workers in different parts of the country, a special train carrying 1,200 of them from Telangana left for Hatia in Jharkhand after the Railways Ministry acceded to the request of the state government for facilitating their return.
The other special trains slated to run are on the routes of Aluva to Bhubaneswar, Nasik to Lucknow, Nasik to Bhopal, Jaipur to Patna and Kota to Hatia.
In the April 29 order, all the states and UTs were directed to designate nodal authorities and develop standard protocols for receiving and sending such stranded persons. The moving persons will be screened. On arrival at the destination, such persons will be assessed by the state health authorities and put under home quarantine unless the assessment requires keeping them under institutional quarantine.
They would be kept under watch with periodic health check-ups. For this purpose, they are encouraged to use the Aarogya Setu app through which their health status can be monitored.
