Special trains take migrants home from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, May 5

The Telugu states have asked the south central railway to help both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh move hundreds of migrant workers back to their home state.

A “Shramik Special” train carrying about 1,200 migrant workers left for Khagaria in Bihar from Ghatkesar near here Tuesday morning.

Another train from Rayannapadu near Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh left for Chandrapur in Maharashtra.

All the passengers were screened before they were allowed to board,” General Manager Gajanan Mallya said.

More trains would leave for Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and other states.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) has announced the running of 40 special trains per day from today to send migrant labour back to their native places. The trains will run for one week.

The state will make all travel arrangements for trains leaving from Hyderabad, Warangal, Khammam, Damaracharla and other places in the state.

The CM held review meeting on the problems being faced by the migrant labour in the state due to lockdown.

Medical and Health Minister Etela Rajender, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP Sri Mahender Reddy and others attended the meeting.

KCR said he had spoken to SC Railway General Manager Gajanan Mallya and requested him to arrange for 40 special trains from Tuesday.

Earlier the state government had appointed senior IAS officer Sandeep Sultania and senior IPS officer Jitendra as special officers to oversee the travel of migrant workers.

KCR said the higher percentage of those affected with and dying due to coronavirus were in Hyderabad its neighbouring three districts and hence there was a need to further tighten and implement lockdown in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchel and Vikarabad districts.

“In the state, so far 1,085 were affected with the virus. Among these, so far, 585 persons were discharged. 29 died and 471 were under treatment. The virus spread is more in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchel and Vikarabad districts. Of the total 1,085 positive cases, 717 (66.08 per cent) belong to these four districts. Among those dead, 82.21 per cent belongs to these four districts. For the past 10 days the highest number of cases reported from these districts only.

“The situation is not at all good in these districts. Hence, please do not given any relaxations in these four districts. Continue lockdown as it is, if need be, more strictly. The situation has improved in other districts. Containment zones number also decreased there. In those districts red zones are becoming orange zones and orange zones are becoming green,” the chief minister said quoting a report submitted by the medical and health department.

The Cabinet meeting, which will be held later tonight, is expected to discuss at length on the report submitted by the medical and health department.

There is a possibility that the Cabinet would discuss whether to continue the lockdown conditions, or give some relaxations and what should be done in the districts where the coronavirus spread is more and other issues and take a decision.