Kochi: A special train carrying 1140 migrant labourers from Kerala bound for Bhubaneshwar in Odisha, left from the Aluva railway station in Ernakulam district at 10 pm on Friday.
This is the first special train from Kerala carrying migrant labourers stuck here due to lockdown.
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses were arranged for them to reach Aluva railway station. Also, police vans were used to take the migrants from camps to the railway station.
Medical check-ups of migrants were conducted at Perumbavoor and they reached to the station via 40 buses.
The train was scheduled to depart at 6 pm but it was delayed for four hours due to registration process and medical check-ups.
Ernakulam district administration arranged food and water for migrants travel.
Kerala Minister VS Sunil Kumar, Ernakulam district collector S Suhas, Ernakulam rural police chief K Karthik, Aluva MLA Anwar Sadath also reached the railway station.
According to minister VS Sunil Kumar, ”There are 24 sleeper class coaches in the train.
The train will run non-stop to Bhubaneswar. The migrants are expected to reach there after 34 hours. As social distancing norms have to be followed, each sleeper class coach that normally accommodates 72 persons, will be able to carry only 45 persons.”
“The train will not have a pantry but we gave them necessary food for the travel. But the passengers taking the train will have to bear the ticket fare. Tomorrow, two trains will depart with migrant labourers. One from Ernakulam South Railway station to Bhubaneswar and one from Aluva to Patna,” he added. (ANI)
