The Ministry of Railways said on Thursday it would facilitate the movement of relief materials to the affected areas to help millions of people marooned by the recent floods in the two states.

Relief materials may be booked by district magistrates, relief commissioners, government and non-government organisations, political parties, trusts, philanthropic bodies, social service organisations and print and electronic media for transportation by rail from any station in the country to the flood-hit areas.

Relief materials will be transported on condition that the consignments are addressed to the relief commissioner/district magistrate of the flood-affected districts, which include Bijapur, Bagalkot, Raichur and Bellary of Karnataka and Mehaboobnagar, Kurnool, Krishna, Guntur and Nalgonda of Andhra Pradesh. The Railways will not charge for the transportation.

The consignments so transported will be distributed under the supervision of the respective State Government authorities. The free transportation scheme will be valid till December 4, 2009. The consignments will be booked at owner’s risk, and no claim for any loss or damage will be entertained by the Railways.