Five Shramik trains reach city

Kolkata: Five Shramik special trains arrived at Howrah station bringing in several thousand migrant labourers and other passengers from different parts of the country on Saturday.

While the returnees were medically screened before they were sent to their home districts by state-run buses for mandatory quarantine, online cab and yellow taxi services were also available at the Howrah station.

According to sources, each Shramik Special train had nearly 1,600 passengers. While three trains arrived at around 1 pm, the other two trains

arrived in the evening at Howrah station. Before the alignment of trains at Howrah station, few passengers including women and children also got down at the unscheduled stop.

The district administration has set up separate quarantine centres for the migrant labourers who are returning in these special trains from Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and other states.

"Howrah- Agartala Sharmik Special train departed from Howrah station at 7 pm on Saturday," said an official.

Railways in co-ordination with State Governments have taken initiatives for smooth operation of these huge number of Shramik Special trains. In Eastern Railway system, till May 29, as many as 132 Shramik Special trains have been terminated.

Among these, two Shramik Special trains terminated at Dankuni station, three at Berhampore Court station,

seven at Howrah station, one at Bandel station, one at Krishnanagar Junction station, 22 at Malda Town station, one at Durgapur station, one at Barddhaman station, one at Kolkata station, 53 at Bhagalpur station, 13 at Banka station, one at Munger station and 26 at Jasidih

station.