Coronavirus Lockdown 3.0: Trains with migrant workers leave from Karnataka for Odisha, Bihar

After weeks of waiting, inter-state migrant labourers finally started journey towards their home towns as the first two “Shramik Special” trains left from two stations in Bengaluru division on Sunday. The labourers within Karnataka, however, continued to suffer as lack of first-mile connectivity forced many to walk kilometres.

The South Western Railway’s first special left Chikkabanavara at 9.20 am carrying 1,190 passengers to Bhubaneswar in Odisha. The second train to Danapur in Bihar with 1,200 passengers departed at 2.35 pm on Sunday.

The state government decided the list of passengers and ferried them to the station in BMTC buses. “SWR is transporting passengers to their destination only when there is a demand from the state government with proper protocols. These special trains are being run from point to point with no stoppages en route,” the SWR said in a release.

It said care was being taken to ensure social distancing during the boarding. The passengers were medically examined by the state government and were issued a certificate. Thermal screening was again done by railway medical teams. “None of the passengers was detected with high temperature,” the railways said.

NGOs extended support to the passengers by providing lunch packets, biscuits, water bottles and fruits. The IRCTC will provide meals en route.

The Railway Protection Force is escorting the train and details of passengers, coach wise with address and mobile numbers have been obtained.

The migrants from various districts of the state, especially those from north Karnataka, continue to walk kilometres to reach the Kempegowda Bus Station as lack of city bus service cut off the first-mile transport.

The KSRTC, too, has employed thermal scanning before boarding the bus. Similar to the railways, there will be no boarding of passengers in between the origin and destination, the KSRTC said in a release.

The passengers will be home quarantined once they reach their destination, KSRTC said.

Monday schedule

The buses to Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Belagavi, Gadag, Dharwad, Haveri, Yadgir will depart from BMTC bus station, while those headed to Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Mangaluru, Madikeri, Udupi, Chamarajanagar, Chitradurga and Davangere will leave from KSRTC terminal-1.