South Central Railways clarifies statement on services, says ‘no special trains for migrants’

A communication related to internal planning of South Central Railways (SCR) to assess demand for train services is being misinterpreted in some sections as decision to run special trains for migrant labourers.

Clarifying on the statement, the SCR took to Twitter to state that there is “no such proposal and all passenger trains stand cancelled till 3 May.”

Advertisement

https://x.com/SCRailwayIndia/status/1250284309115580418

This comes as social distancing went for a toss when over 3,000 stranded, hungry and angry migrant labourers from different parts of India thronged near the Bandra railway station on Tuesday demanding that they should be given transportation to return to their native places immediately, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the ongoing nationwide lockdown till 3 May.

Meanwhile, the Congress party has asked the Government to probe the “role” of the railway ministry in the migrant crisis in the country, with party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help the stranded workers reach their villages.

Shortly after PM Modi’s address, the Indian Railways on Tuesday announced suspension of all passenger train services till May 3.

The Ministry of Railways informed that all passenger train services on Indian Railways including premium trains, Mail/Express trains, passenger trains, suburban trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway etc shall continue to remain suspended till the 2400 hrs of 3rd May.

Full fare will be credited back into users accounts from which payment was made, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation said.

The Railways has also suspended the booking of rail tickets beyond the extended nationwide lockdown until further orders.

The railway ministry in a statement said that all ticket counters for bookings including UTS (unreserved ticket) and PRS (Passenger Reservation System), will remain suspended till further orders.

“No advance reservation of trains tickets, including E-tickets will be done after May 3, till further orders,” it said.