With migrants dropping out, running trains gets tough

CHANDIGARH: With migrants choosing to stay back following resumption of commercial activities, the last-minute struggle to pack the Shramik Special trains plying to various states continues. Now, the Chandigarh administration officials are taking help of beat box staff to fill the vacant seats.


In the latest instance, a message sent by the officials concerned to the beat box staff at 12 noon on Wednesday read, “If you have any stranded migrant in your area and wants to go to Hardoi, Lucknow and Faizabad by train, then ask him to rush to CCET, Sector 26 for medical screening to board Shramik train as 600 seats are still vacant.”

However, despite so much of effort, only 1,300 passengers — 300 short of the total capacity — boarded the train from Chandigarh to Mau in Uttar Pradesh. The train departing at 2pm had scheduled stoppages at Hardoi, Lucknow, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar and Azamgarh. On Tuesday about 10,000 persons were informed through telephone calls and SMSs about this train.

Yashpal Garg, the social welfare secretary, said another Shramik Special train has been scheduled for June 5, which would go to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, with stoppages at Nazibabad, Sitapour, Shravasti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Devaria, Maharajganj and Gonda. The registered persons are being contacted on the given mobile numbers with a request to reach the holding centre at CCET, Sector-26, he said.

Ladies with small kids, pregnant ladies, handicapped persons and senior citizens are accommodated on priority. The migrants from other districts have been advised not to come to board trains at Chandigarh, because their journey is supposed to be arranged by the authorities of that district only.

To date, total 39,731 stranded migrant persons have been sent to their home destinations through Shramik Special trains and special buses.