At 38,000, UP and Bihar receive most number of migrants through special trains

More than 1.7 lakh migrants have been ferried in 171 special trains deployed through various states.

Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have taken the maximum number of migrants back, about 38,000 each, through Shramik Special trains till Thursday, according to an internal railway ministry data. Forty four more trains are scheduled to reach the states, while 25 are in the pipeline.

Both the states have received 37-38 trains till Thursday, ferrying nearly 1000 passengers each, followed by Odisha and Jharkhand who have received 13 and 10 trains, respectively. ( Photo by Bachchan Kumar/Hindustan Times)

Both the states have received 37-38 trains till Thursday, ferrying nearly 1000 passengers each, followed by Odisha and Jharkhand who have received 13 and 10 trains, respectively.

Nearly 2 lakh migrants have been ferried in 201 special trains deployed through various states. On Thursday, the railway ministry said 52 special trains made the journey today.

The first special train from Delhi left on Thursday night with migrants to Madhya Pradesh. The national capital also has a special train in the pipeline to ferry migrants to Bihar.

Shramik Special trains, which began on May 1, are run from point A to point B without any stoppages. Usually, they have 24 coaches, each carrying a little over 50 against the total capacity of 72. These trains are run for distances of over 500 km with at least 90% occupancy.

At 65,000, Gujarat has sent the maximum number of migrants thus far. About 12,000 more are expected to leave in the 12 special trains.

“Gujarat has sent the maximum trains so far while West Bengal has received the least. Only two trains have been cleared by Bengal till now as they are not giving permission for other trains,” a senior government official said.

Maharashtra has sent more than 20,000 migrants in 21 special trains with four more trains in the pipeline, while it has received only two trains and no special trains in the pipeline, the data stated.

The special trains have so far departed from states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan and Telangana carrying migrants home.

States with the maximum number of migrant population are receiving these trains like UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Telangana.

However, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal have not received any special trains so far.