The first ‘Shramik Special’ Train originating from Goa departed from Thivim Railway station in North Goa carrying around 1200 passengers from Madhya Pradesh, marking the beginning of the exercise to help around 60,000-80,000 labourers from Goa return home.
The train departed at around 12 noon and was flagged off by Kunal, the Nodal Officer for coordinating the departure and entry of persons into the state as well as the North Goa Superintendent of Police Utkrisht Prasoon.
“Today one train departed Goa for Gwalior having 1196 passengers having shramik special. This is our first train from Goa to Gwalior and this train is expected to reach tomorrow morning,” Kunal (he doesn’t use a surname) said.
“This train is taking people from the distressed category of people who have registered with us to go online and also through the survey conducted by the department so they are belonging to eight districts of Madhya Pradesh we have already alerted the nodal officer of MP at Gwalior where they will be received and these passengers will be transported to their respective district by dedicated buses. After final screening at the boarding point eight passengers were taken out for further checks,” Kunal said.
The process for the transfer of the people -- mostly labourers who were housed at various relief camps set up by the state government, began on Thursday with those selected asked to gather where they were screened for symptoms and after verification brought to the railway station in specially arranged buses and boarded on the train.
{{/usCountry}}The process for the transfer of the people -- mostly labourers who were housed at various relief camps set up by the state government, began on Thursday with those selected asked to gather where they were screened for symptoms and after verification brought to the railway station in specially arranged buses and boarded on the train.
{{/usCountry}}More trains are scheduled to be organized over the coming days depending on the availability.
More than 10,000 labourers each from UP and Bihar too are awaiting trains while those from Karnataka are being dropped back by buses arranged by the Goa government.