First special train with 1,140 migrants departs from Kerala as MHA allows movement

After the Central government's announcement to facilitate special trains for migrants, a Bhubaneswar bound special train carrying 1,140 migrant labourers left from Kerala's Aluva railway station in Ernakulam district at 10 pm on Friday.

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses were arranged by the state government for the migrant workers to reach Aluva railway station which were accompanied by Police vans that also took the migrants from camps to the railway station.

A medical check-up of the migrants was also conducted at Perumbavoor. The scheduled departure of the train was at 6 Pm, however, due to medical check-ups and registration process, the train got delayed by four hours.

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Kerala Minister VS Sunil Kumar, Ernakulam district collector S Suhas, Ernakulam rural police chief K Karthik, Aluva MLA Anwar Sadath also reached the railway station. Ernakulam district administration arranged food and water for migrants travel.

''There are 24 sleeper class coaches in the train. The train will run non-stop to Bhubaneswar. The migrants are expected to reach there after 34 hours. As social distancing norms have to be followed, each sleeper class coach that normally accommodates 72 persons, will be able to carry only 45 persons," VS Sunil Kumar said as quoted by ANI.

"The train will not have a pantry but we gave them necessary food for the travel. But the passengers taking the train will have to bear the ticket fare. Tomorrow, two trains will depart with migrant labourers. One from Ernakulam South Railway station to Bhubaneswar and one from Aluva to Patna," he added.

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This comes after the Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday allowed special trains to be operated by the Ministry of Railways (MoR) for movement of stranded migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, and students. MHA issues guidelines to the states on the procedures to be followed before departing the migrants. The passengers have to be screened by the sending states and only those found asymptomatic would be allowed to travel. The State Governments will be responsible for transporting the stranded 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 cover their faces. Meals and drinking water would be provided to the passengers by the sending states at the originating station.