JOIN USWest Bengal govt asks Indian Railways not to send special trains till May 26
West Bengal government has asked the Railway Minister not to send any Shramik Special train to the state till May 26 in the wake of the cyclone Amphan.
Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha wrote to the Chairman of the Railway Board Vinod Kumar Yadav, stating that since the district administration is preoccupied with relief and rescue work following the cyclone, it would not be possible to receive migrant special trains.
“As district administration is involved with relief and rehabilitation works, it will not be possible to receive special trains for the next few days. It is therefore, requested that no train should be sent to West Bengal till 26th May, 2020,” Sinha stated in a letter dated May 22.
“As discussed with you, we are revising the proposal dated 20/5/2020 and it will be sent to you soon,” he added.
Earlier, Home Minister Amit Shah alleged that West Bengal government was doing precious little to bring back migrant workers from the state. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that West Bengal government was not asking for adequate number of trains to bring back migrant workers.
However, later the Centre decided that consent of destination states were not required for these special trains.
Recently, West Bengal government announced that it has approved 105 special trains to bring back migrant workers and other stranded persons.