Trains will bring the stranded back from Delhi: Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said the railways have agreed to arrange trains from eight states to Kerala to bring the Keralites stranded in New Delhi back. Among the stranded were students. The Chief Minister said the railways have announced that the Bengaluru-Thiruvananthapuram Island Express is scheduled to operate daily and was trying to make it a non-AC train.

There is growing concern among the students from Kerala in Delhi that there is no special train to the state from the capital," he said.

"It is not practical for the students to book online for the special AC trains through IRCTC. Moreover, they cannot afford the AC train fare. In this scenario, we are trying to arrange the transport of the students by non-AC trains," Vijayan said.

"The helpdesk in Delhi is coordinating the efforts. We will be able to announce the details of these special trains in a day or two," he said.

He said five states have granted approval for the return of the migrant labourers from Kerala. "A total of 28 trains will be sent to West Bengal from May 18 to June 14," he said. Meanwhile, the Resident Commissioner of Kerala House said those students who have registered with NORKA but not able to book a train ticket to Kerala should send theirNORKA ID, their name and other details to two mobile numbers -- 7289940944 and 8800748647.

The chief minister further said 1,045 people reached the state on Friday by the first special train from Delhi and till now, 33,000 guest workers have left the state by 29 trains.