5 trains from Karnataka ferry 7,477 migrants home

Five South Western Railway (SWR) zone special trains ferried 7,477 migrant workers back home to three Indian states amid COVID pandemic, an official said on Friday.

"The first Shramik special train and 49th from SWR left at 4:15 p.m. with 1,520 passengers bound for Gorakhpur," said a SWR zone official.

Friday's second special train with 1,530 migrants departed at 5 p.m. to Bhagalpur in Bihar from Malur, Bengaluru outskirts.

Similarly, a third special train departed Chikka Bannavara station for Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh at 6:40 p.m. with 1,440 migrants.

Likewise, fourth special train from Malur station to Barauni in Bihar departed at 7:35 p.m. with 1,549 passengers.

The fifth train from Chikka Bannavara to Agartala in Tripura left at 8:44 p.m. with 1,438 migrants.

The SWR zone has operated 52 special trains to transport migrants back home.

The special trains are being organised following the Union Ministry of Home Affairs granting permission for the movement of stranded migrant labourers, workers, students, tourists and others.

Amid Covid pandemic, the Karnataka government has announced that all inter-state travellers arriving here will be compulsorily placed in institutional quarantine for a fortnight.

"You can stay in government hostels for free of cost or in specific hotels at your own cost. You will not be allowed to go to your homes before 14 days," said an official statement shared by the SWR officials.

To drive home the message to passengers who boarded a special train in Old Delhi railway station for Karnataka on Thursday night, Karnataka Bhavan officials distributed pamphlets in Kannada and English about the quarantine requirements.

Official also sent out text messages to the travellers. The railway zone has also texted 2.5 lakh people in multiple districts not to walk on the tracks to avoid accidents.