307 rail travellers alight at Margao, migrants pin hope

Margao: At least 307 passengers alighted from two trains at Margao on Saturday after which they had to undergo a Covid-19 test.

An official said that 281 passengers alighted from the Delhi to Margao Rajdhani Express while 26 alighted from the Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi train at Margao.

All those who alighted at Margao were sent to the new district hospital for testing.

There was no train from Margao leaving for any destination with migrant workers on Saturday. Sources said that around 251 inmates of the Navelim shelter were ferried to Karmali by the authorities to enable them board the Shramik special.

Migrant labourers, who are getting impatient at being unable to get a place on the Shramik special trains, are pulling on with the hope that they will get lucky in the next couple of days.

Thousands have assembled at the Manohar Parrikar indoor stadium in Navelim where arrangements have been made for their accommodation. The last couple of days have seen the authorities facing a rough time in managing the affairs at the shelter. On Saturday, arranging food for them was not an easy task. Other facilities, such as mobile toilets, had been enhanced on Friday, as the numbers had swelled beyond expectation.

An AAP functionary urged the CM to intervene saying that a large number of migrants were at the shelter and that food was limited.

Meanwhile, South Western Railways opened its counters for bookings at Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Vasco, Bellary, Hospet and Vijaypura. They will be open from 8am to 5pm, an official said. In view of Ramzan being a national holiday, reservation counters will function from 8am to 2pm on May 25.