Spl trains to carry Himachalis from Goa and Karnataka

Shimla: Even as Himachal Pradesh is coping with an unexpected spurt in Coronavirus cases linked to hotspots like Delhi, the state government on Saturday finalised arrangements with Indian railway to evacuate stranded persons from Goa, Karnataka and West Bengal in phased manner.

A team of 15 IAS officers led by Principal Secretary (Disaster Management) Onkar Sharma is making arrangements with the states and UTs to evacuate all those stranded their. Similarly, migrant workers, students and others struck up in Himachal Pradesh, will also be sent to their native states by the team.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur informed that the Union government has agreed to run a special train from Thivim/Margao/Karamali (Goa) to Una to facilitate movement of the people of Himachal Pradesh stranded in Goa.

There are around 2000 persons stranded in Goa. They are mostly persons working in the hotel industry and had taken-up other jobs, which many of them, have lost due to lockdown. Chief Minister said he had taken up matter with Railways Minister Piyush Goyal to ply a special train from Goa to Una to facilitate the people to reach the state.

The train will start from Goa on May 13 and 14 to carry the Himachalis back home.

Of those stranded in Goa includes 398 from Mandi district, 246 from Kullu district, 241 from Kangra district, 105 from Chamba district, 70 from Shimla district and 43 from Solan district.

He said that the government would try to fully utilize the skill and expertise of the people coming back to their home. He said that after their homecoming they will have to remain under home quarantine. Similarly, the government has also worked out arrangements for running special train from Bengaluru and West Bengal. The fare and other expenditures on carrying stranded persons will be met by the state government.

All persons reaching Una will be thoroughly examined by the medical teams before they were allowed to travel their homes where they will be quarantined for 14 days alongwith their families.

The Chief Minister asserted that bringing stranded persons back to their families is duty of the state government.