15 Karnataka special trains transport 19,690 migrants home

The South Western Railway (SWR) zone has run 15 Shramik special trains to transport 19,690 migrants back home to seven states in north and east India, an official said on Wednesday.

"First Shramik special train of SWR on Wednesday left Bengaluru Cantonment to New Jalpaiguri (in West Bengal) at 12.20 a.m. with 1,200 passengers," said a SWR spokesperson.

Wednesday's second special train departed from KSR Bengaluru to Bettaiah in Bihar at 1.27 a.m. with 1,526 migrants.

Both the first and second trains were scheduled for Tuesday but got delayed and overran their time schedules to be counted on Wednesday.

"Third Shramik special train left Hubballi at noon with 1,564 passengers on board to Madhubani (Bihar)," said the official.

The fourth special train departed from Bengaluru Cantonment station at 2.47 p.m. with 1,530 migrants, including 26 children to Darbhanga in Bihar.

Wednesday's fifth special train left Hubballi for Samastipur in Bihar at 4 p.m. with 1,541 migrants. Overall, Wednesday's fifth special train was SWR's 100th Shramik special train.

"SWR on Wednesday ran its 100th Shramik special train carrying 1,40,473 passengers, mostly migrant workers, students and families to their hometowns," said an official statement.

Similarly, the sixth special train departed from Bengaluru Cantonment to Purnia in Bihar at 4:40 p.m. with 1,515 passengers, including 15 children.

Wednesday's seventh special train left from KSR Bengaluru to Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh at 5:50 p.m. with 1,541 migrants.

The eighth special train departed from Bengaluru Cantonment to Chapra in Bihar at 6.35 p.m. with 1,550 migrants, including 30 children.

Wednesday's ninth special train left Chikka Bannavara to Mau in UP at 7.10 p.m. with 1,500 migrants.

The 10th special train departed from Hubballi to Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh at 8 p.m. with 1,488 migrants.

"Wednesday's 11th Shramik special train left from Chikka Bannavara to Basti at 8.40 p.m. with 1,495 passengers," the official said.

The 12th special train left Bengaluru Cantonment station to Darbhanga at 8.45 p.m. with 1,534 migrants, including 12 children.

SWR's 13th special train and Wednesday's last one departed from Chikka Bannavara to Haridwar in Uttarakhand at 10 p.m. with 1,076 migrants. This was SWR's 107th Shramik special train.

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