LABOUR PAINS IN SHRAMIK TRAINS

Despite the coronavirus’ dance of death across India, new life is taking birth at unusual places like highways and trains used by migrant labourers. Since Shramik special trains started operating, more than 21 babies have born on board. To reach her Bihar home, pregnant Mamta Yadav (35) boarded the Jamnagar-muzaffarpur Shramik Special train all alone. Her husband had lost his job as a factory worker. Despite being in an advanced stage of pregnancy, Mamta wanted be with her mother in Chhapra district for the delivery. The train left Jamnagar at 8 pm and she went into labour around midnight. Though a non-stop train, it was halted at Agra Fort station at 4.30 am. The compartment was turned into a labour room with passengers moving out. A team of doctors and railway staff supervised her condition as she delivered a healthy girl. The train then left with Mamta and her baby. On 13 May, Pinky Yadav (20) delivered a baby boy on board the Ahmedabad-faizabad Shramik special train with the help of RPF personnel. She was shifted to a district hospital in Kanpur. Ishwari Devi (23) gave birth to a baby boy on board the Habibganj-bilaspur special train on 17 May with the help of women passengers. “We have a wellestablished system to deal with medical emergencies,” Railway spokesman R. D. Bajpai told The Sunday Guardian. “Whenever a passenger needs help, our onboard staff alerts the station where medical aid is available next and the doctors who live in railway colonies deal with any emergency.”

Man Mohan can be contacted at rovingeditor@gmail.com