HYDERABAD: The first special
train
to transport stranded migrant workers was flagged off from
Lingampally
at 4.50am on Friday with 1,225 passengers on board. The 24-coach train to Hatia in
Jharkhand
, which usually seats 72 persons per compartment, was restricted to 54 persons per compartment in accordance to social distancing guidelines.
“A special train was run on request of the state government and as per the directions of ministry of railways. All necessary precautions such as prior screening of passengers, maintaining social distancing at the station and on the train were followed,” South Central Railways (SCR) chief public relations officer, Ch Rakesh, told TOI. “As of now only one train is running from the state and any further trains shall be planned only upon directions from the ministry of railways and on request from state governments of both originating and destination locations,” he added.
According to SCR, senior officials from state government and railways along with Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police were deployed to personally supervise the boarding of passengers and operation of the special train. Sources reveal that the train that left the city carried migrant workers from IIT Kandi campus.