Special train from Barmer to ferry Bihar labourers today

After the request for a special train has been granted, the state is planning to ask for one more train to carry the remaining 465 workers in Barmer along with a similar number of workers from Bihar stranded in Jodhpur

BARMER: A Shramik special train with 1,200 labourers from Bihar will leave from Rajasthan’s Barmer district on Sunday, district collector Vishram Meena said.

The train will be bound for Motihari district in Bihar with the first batch of a total of 1,665 Bihar labourers who have registered in Barmer to return home, he said.

Meena said that earlier the administration planned to send them back in buses but requested for a special train considering their numbers. “After the request for a special train has been granted, the state is planning to ask for one more train to carry the remaining 465 workers in Barmer along with a similar number of workers from Bihar stranded in Jodhpur.”

The collector said talks were on with Jodhpur district administration so that the remaining migrants from both the districts could be returned to Bihar.

VISHRAM MEENA, district collector

He said the disaster management department of Bihar sent its consent on Saturday to Rajasthan additional chief secretary (industries) Subodh Agarwal, who is the head of the state-level committee for interstate migration.

The district administration is taking care to follow the protocol for such journey.

“Buses have been moved to blocks to gather all labourers at the district headquarters. As per the government guideline, medical department has been asked to conduct screening of all the workers before they are allowed to enter the railway station,” said Meena. “Social distancing must be followed.”

Meena said the workers will not have to pay any fare as the Rajasthan government has decided to bear the cost of their journey.

Last month chief minister Ashok Gehlot had pushed for a strategy for smooth movement of migrant workers stranded across the country due to the nationwide lockdown.

At a review meeting this week on Covid-19 lockdown and movement of people, Gehlot said that the state government was working for the safe movement of migrants and workers.

He said that screening of all passengers should be ensured along with sanitisation of trains and buses.

All other arrangements, including masks, sanitisers and food, should be made available for them, Gehlot added.