Indian Railways has maintained secrecy about its decision to operate special trains for stranded migrant workers, students, and tourists, to avoid mad rush in stations.
The railways got the nod from Union Ministry of Home Affairs to run special trains for migrants late Thursday (April 27). Message from Railway Ministry to its zone authorising the running of the train went out Thursday at 11:00 pm.
Its first special train left on Friday at 5.30 am from Lingampalli station in Telangana to Hatia in Jharkhand ferrying 1,300 migrant workers.
Though railway officials maintained silence till the evening the Ministry of Home Affairs' daily media briefing announcing decision to run special trains, officials in the Rail Bhavan were quick to announce the schedule of five other trains operated on Friday night.
The railways has been making preparation to transport migrant workers and it kept ready 400 special trains and ready to scale up to 1000 special trains. It also asked all its zones to be ready to operate special trains and in touch with states Chief Secretaries about the requirement and make other logistics arrangements, an official in the railways said.
Apart from keeping ready with Railway Protection Force ( RPF) on standard operation on maintaining social distancing of passengers at stations and inside stations, it also made arrangements for meals to passengers, said the officials.
The railways maintained secrecy on information about operating its first train on Friday early morning because, if the news, of more trains for stranded being planned from various places, is announced, thousands of people might throng stations across India and difficult to handle the situation, said the official.
Earlier due to rumours of special trains operating led to large migrant workers gathering at several railway stations in Maharashtra and Gujarat. This time railway kept its decision secret to avoid any repeat of earlier situations, said the official.