Fact Check: No Surjewala, 40 Shramik trains did not 'get lost' while ferrying migrants

ORIGIN

A message is doing rounds on social media claiming that 40 'Sharmik Special Trains' that were 50 days late got lost at the same time and also forgot to feed the passengers which led to the death of 10 people. Even Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Sunday hit out at the Centre and shared a newspaper clipping which says “40 Shramik Special train lost its way” Sharing the clipping he wrote, “How much more will you make fun of tragedy? Now do not say that this too is a ‘drama’. Shame on Piyush Goyal.”

TRUTH

Government's fact-checking page- Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check on Tuesday took to Twitter and said that the news which is widely shared is fake. The govt fact-checking agency said that "This is INCORRECT." Explaining the issue, it said that the trains have not been lost and because of the congestion due to 80% of Shramik Special trains going to UP and Bihar, these trains were diverted to reach destinations by "other feasible routes" as per the practice followed in regular operations.

The Indian Railways also said that the rail route congestion, which was witnessed on May 23 and 24, is now over. "The congestion had occurred due to convergence of more than two-third rail traffic on routes to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and late clearance of terminals due to health protocols etc. that needed to be completed by state authorities," it said. "The matter has been resolved through active consultation with state governments and also finding other feasible routes for the journey," it added.

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3,276 Shramik Special trains ferried more than 44 lakh migrants

The Indian Railways has ferried over 44 lakh migrant workers on board 3,276 ''Shramik Special'' trains since May 1, according to official data. Of the total trains, 2,875 have terminated, while 401 are in transit. On May 25, 223 ‘Shramik Specials’ ferried 2.8 lakh passengers, the railways said. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has distributed over 74 lakh free meals and more than 1 crore water bottles to travelling migrants so far. 

The 'Shramik Special' trains are being operated primarily on the request of states, which want to send migrant workers stranded due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown to their native places. 

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(With PTI inputs)