NAGAR UNTARI

प्रेस विज्ञप्ति/ Press Release No. 143  Dt: 17.06.2020

SWR’S 240 SHRAMIK SPECIAL TRAINS CARRIES 3.50 LAKH PASSENGERS BACK HOME

Starting with the first Shramik Special Train being rolled out from the Zone o­n 3^rdMay 2020, South Western Railway has run 240 Shramik special trains carrying 3.50 lakh migrant workers to their native destinations. While, the Zone transported first o­ne lakh passengers in 13 days, the next o­ne lakh passengers were transported in just 6 days.  Shramik specials were run every day from 3^rd May 2020 till date except for two days o­n 6^th and 7^th May 2020.

Two trains are scheduled to leave from Bengaluru to Guwahati latter tonight. SWR is going all out to arrange for trains as per the demand of the state Govt. to all parts of country so that migrant workers can reach their hometowns. Shramik Special trains have been run from Karnataka to 17 states in the country.  The maximum number of trains were run towards Bihar i.e. 77 trains carrying 1.13 lakh passenger followed by 52 trains to Uttar Pradesh carrying 75,248 passengers.

SWR has run Shramik Specials from Bengaluru (KSR Bengaluru, Bengaluru Cant., Chikbanawar, Malur) Mysuru (Ashokapuram, Kabakaputtur, Hassan) Hubballi, Hubballi (Hosapete, Bellari, Koppal) and from Hosur in Tamil Nadu. Details of trains run so far are as below;

Bengaluru Division has run 207 Shramik Specials so far carrying 3.02 lakh passengers. Hubballi Division has run 21 Shramik Special carrying 30,580 passengers and Mysuru Division has run 12 Shramik Specials ferrying 16,974 passengers.

SWR is transporting passengers to their destination as per the demand of State Government with proper protocol and the receiving State Government is ready to accept them. These special trains are being run from point to point with no stoppages en-route. State Government is arranging to bring passengers of Shramik Special trains to the stations through BMTC Buses as per the protocol.   

Care is being taken to ensure social distancing, wearing of masks and sanitizing of hands and making regular announcement to caution the passengers for prevention and spread of Covid-19 virus before departure from stations. Hand Sanitizer along with liquid soap has been provided in all coaches to protect against spread of Covid-19 Virus.  Railway is also ensuring complete sanitization of all coaches before boarding of special train by the passengers.

Special Trains are departing the Stations o­nly after all the passengers are medically examined by Government of Karnataka and issued medical certificate.  Thermal screening is again done by Railway Medical Teams at the stations.  None of the passengers was detected with high temperature.   The Railway Protection Force (RPF) team is escorting the trains and ensuring social distancing. Details of passengers, coach-wise with address and mobile Nos. have been obtained.  Details have been digitalized and stored for contact tracing in future, if required.

                                                                                           Chief Public Relations Officer

                                                                              South Western Railway, Hubballi

WR Press Release No. 2020/06Mumbai, 18^thJune, 2020

WITH TWO MORE SHRAMIK SPL TRAINS FROM SURAT, WR RUNS TOTAL 1226 TO CARRY 18.44 LAKH MIGRANTS TO THEIR NATIVE STATES

Lakhs of migrant workers and their families have been benefitted by the Indian Railway's decision to runShramik Special trains.In continuation to this, with 2 more shramik special trains departed from Surat o­n 17th June, 2020, Western Railwayhas operated total 1226SHRAMIK SPLtrains from 2^ndMay, 2020 to 17^thJune, 2020, which have carried approx. 18.44 lakh migrant labourers & their families to their desired destinations.

According to a press release issued by Shri Ravinder Bhakar - Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, out of the 1226Shramik special trains, maximumtrains were bound for Uttar Pradesh followed by Bihar. The special Shramik trains were also operatedto states ofOrissa, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan,Uttarakhand, West Bengal,Gujarat, Manipur, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Maharashtra. Approx. 18.44lakh passengers have been ferried by Western Rly totheir home towns in different states of the country, from 2^ndMay, 2020 to 17^thJune, 2020.Shri Bhakar stated that these Shramik Special trains have helped in facilitating faster movement of stranded labourers and their families to their native places. o­n 17^thJune, 2020, twoShramik special trains left from Gujarat.Both these trains left from Surat to Brahmapur in Orissa and to Danapur in Bihar respectively. From 3^rd May to 17^thJune, 2020, a total of 187Shramik Special Trains have originated from various stations under Mumbai Suburban Section, including 68Shramik special trains from Bandra Terminus, 73 from Borivali, 31 from Vasai Road, 2 from Dahanu Road and 13 from Palghar station. These trains were departed for Gorakhpur, Jaunpur , Gonda , Varanasi, Pratapgarh, Bhagalpur, Prayagraj, Darbhanga, Danapur, Howrah etc. Out of these 1226 trains, Mumbai division has operated highest 714 trains, Ahmedabad division 259, Vadodara division 100, Bhavnagar division 30, Rajkot division 117 and Ratlam division 6 Shramik special trains.These special trains are being operated by maintaining all social distancing norms, as well as proper thermal screening of passengers, is also being ensured before boarding the train. During the journey, passengers are also being given free meals and packaged drinking water.

TRANSPORTATION OFESSENTIALS

Shri Bhakar stated that since 22^nd March till 17^th June, 2020, total 6632 rakes of goods trains have been used by WR to supply essential commodities amounting to 13.50 million tonnes. 13,140 freight trains have been interchanged with other zonal railways, in which 6588trains were handed over and 6552 trains taken over at different interchange points.  344 Millennium Parcel rakes of Parcel Vans/ Railway Milk Tankers (RMTs) have been sent to different parts of the country to supply as per the demands of essential items such as milk powder, liquid milk and other general consumer goods. Shri Bhakar further added that o­n 18^th June, 2020, three parcel special trains, including a milk rake, left from WR includingBandra Terminus – Ludhiana and Kankaria – Khurda Rd. parcel special train. o­ne milk rake also left from Palanpur to Hind Terminal. It is worth mentioning, that during the lockdown period, since 23^rd March to 17^th June, 2020, commodities weighing almost 59 thousand tonnes have been transported by Western Rly through its 343 parcel special trains, which included agricultural produce, medicines, fish, milk etc.The earnings generated through this transportation, has been approx Rs 18.80 crore. During this period, forty four milk special trains were run by Western Rly, with a load of more than 32 thousand tonnes and 100% utilization of the wagons, generating revenue of approx Rs 5.65 crore. Similarly, 294Covid-19 special parcel trains with a load of more than 23 thousand tonnes were also run to transport essential commodities, for which the revenue earned was Rs 12.09 crore. In addition to this, 5 indented rakes carrying 2378 tonnes were also run with 100% utilization generating revenue of more than Rs 1.07 crore.

LOSS & REFUND UPDATE OF WR

Shri Bhakar said that the total loss of earnings over Western Railway o­n account of Corona Virus lockdown, has been over Rs 1359 crore, which includes Rs 195.03 crore for suburban section and Rs 1164.12 crore for non-suburban.Inspite of this, resulting to cancellation of tickets till now, Western Railway has ensured to return refund amount ofRs. 347.32 crore. It's worth mentioning that in this refund amount, Mumbai division alone, has ensured refund of Rs 163.29 crore. Till now, 53.37lakh passengers have cancelled their tickets over entire Western Railway & have received their refund amount accordingly.

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