COVID crisis: Stranded residents of Jammu and Kashmir say special trains 'are a blessing'

Shabir Ahmed has been earning his livelihood by selling Kashmiri shawls in West Bengal, where every year he along with several Kashmiri Shawl sellers go during winters and earn eugh to sustain m for entire year. "We are a group of five shawl sellers from our locality who go toger to sell shawls in West Bengal. During summers, we make shawls and in winter season we sell shawls," Shabir said. But this year things were different for Shabir and his fellow Shawl sellers as y all got stranded in West Bengal following nationwide lockdown.

"We were stranded in West Bengal in our room, where we h to spend all our savings. We h money to return home, but we are thankful to Jammu and Kashmir government that finally we have been brought home," Shabir said.

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1,37,864 J&K residents evacuated

Jammu and Kashmir government has evacuated a large number of local residents who were stranded at various places across country. A government spokesman said that like Shabir, Union Territory ministration h evacuated over 1,37,864 residents from various parts of country. " Jammu and Kashmir Government has evacuated about 1,37,864 JK residents, stranded in or parts of country due to COVID lockdown, via Lakhanpur and through special trains and buses till date amid strict observance of all necessary guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures," spokesman said.

He said that as per official data received in this regard, Jammu and Kashmir ministration has received 53 special trains at Jammu and Udhampur railway stations from different states and UTs, so far, with about 42,072 passengers while about 95,792 persons from or states and UTs including 324 from abro have been evacuated by government through Lakhanpur till date.

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"A total of about 1,37,864 J&K residents stranded outside have been brought back to UT by Jammu and Kashmir government by 53 special trains and a fleet of buses through Lakhanpur after strictly observing all necessary preventive measures regarding Virus", he said.

He said that as per detailed breakup of figures, about 1,723 stranded passengers including 107 passengers from Kuwait (abro) have entered through Lakhanpur from June 13 to June 14 mornings while 864 passengers have reached today in 32nd Delhi COVID special train at Jammu. 

"So far, 32 trains have reached Jammu with a total of 26376 stranded passengers belonging to different districts while 15,696 passengers have reached Udhampur in 21 special trains, so far," he said. Meanwhile, Shabir who h reached Jammu via a special train says that he is thankful to government for bringing him back home. "Finally after several months, I will be able to meet my family members, this has been really a hard time for me", Shabir said.

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(Im credits: PTI)