DH Exclusive | We paid Rs 930 each to travel from Kerala to Bihar, say Shramik Special train passengers

Contrary to the tall claims made by the Centre as well as the State Governments that the passengers travelling by Shramik Special trains to their respective states need not pay a single penny, those who boarded such trains were actually made to pay the passenger fare, all in cash.

Deccan Herald on Saturday spoke to seven different passengers, who travelled from either Kerala to Bihar or returned from Maharashtra to their home State. All seven passengers confirmed to the DH that notwithstanding the claims made by the Centre (that the Railways will bear 85 per cent of the fare while the remaining 15 per cent will be borne by the respective State Governments), they were made to pay the full train fare.

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“Just when we boarded the Kerala Government bus to be dropped at Kozhikode railway station, the conductor collected Rs 930 from each of us as the train fare (from Kozhikode to Katihar in Bihar),” said Brajmohan, a college teacher, who went to Kerala to bring back his son on March 22 but got stuck up there due to lockdown for the last 45 days.

“My son studies in Class IXth at Vidya Prakash Public School there. The school management took proper care of us (we were four guardians stuck up there). However, while returning by special train, we were asked to shell out Rs 930 each. Since my son was with me, I paid Rs 1860,” said Brajmohan adding that Railways provided them food at Vijayawada and then again at Katihar. “They did not charge for food or water,” he added.

Nippu Kumar was yet another guardian who had gone to Kozhikode to bring back his two sons. “I paid Rs 2790 as train fare for three of us,” he told Deccan Herald. “After reaching Katihar railway station on May 5, we were brought to Patna by bus on May 6. The bus was crowded and packed to the capacity. All suggestions for social distancing went for a toss,” he lamented.

These passengers, who travelled from Kerala to Patna, were kept in the isolation wards at DAV School, Khagaul near Patna, and then sent to their respective districts on May 7 with the mandatory advisory of home quarantine for 21 days.

But it is not only those who travelled from Kerala to Bihar who were made to pay the train fares. Such complaints were made by even those who travelled from Bhiwandi (in Maharashtra) to Patna in Shramik Specials. Niranjan, Nitesh and Sajhu Kumar, all three who worked in Maharashtra textile mills, returned by this train. “While travelling in Shramik Special train, we were made to pay Rs 700 each,” said Niranjan Kumar of Punpun.

“Were these amounts reimbursed by the State Government?” DH asked each of them. “No”, said the passengers.

The Bihar Government sources, however, claimed that once these people, who have returned from other States, complete their 21-day quarantine period, their travel cost would be reimbursed by the State Government, “Besides, they will be entitled to an additional cash dole of Rs 500 each,” the source added.