1st Shramik train chugs off from Hisar

Tribune News Service
Hisar, May 6

The first Shramik Express train with 1,205 workers onboard started from Hisar for Katihar in Bihar in the afternoon today.

The 24 coach train will take 24 hours to reach its destination where the passengers will be quarantined for 14 days before taking them to their native places in seven districts of Bihar. Train number 04721 Shramik Special of Bikaner division of the North Western Railway will cover 1,455 km to reach its destination.

The workers who boarded the train were also provided packets of dry food for their journey. The train coaches have water, milk, sanitisers and masks for the passengers. As many as 1,060 workers from Hisar and 145 workers from Hansi town headed back to their native places.

Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Soni said that the workers were examined medically before they boarded the train. She said that it will be non-stop train till its destination in Katihar.

“The state government has made arrangements for the fare (Rs 640 per passenger) for the journey. It will amount to Rs 7.86 lakh,” she said.

The DC informed that the migrant workers from six districts of Bihar — Araria, Purnia, Madhepura, Sitamarhi, Bhagalpur and Supaul — have been sent back in the train.

Another train has also been scheduled for migrant workers from Bhiwani railway station to Gaya in Bihar on May 7. Kamini Chauhan, railway official in Bhiwani, informed mediapersons that the Bikaner division of NWR has decided to run six trains from various places in Haryana to take migrant workers back to their home state.

The workers who have registered on the web portal of the Haryana Government for taking a train to reach their home were happy after they were selected for the journey. “We had been rendered jobless due to the lockdown. It was getting difficult for us to stay here in the absence of work and resources,” said one of the workers. Police personnel deployed at the railway station ensured that workers adhered to social distancing while boarding the train.