Piyush Goyal urges States to permit for evacuation of stranded migrants

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday urged the States to give permission to evacuate and bring back the stranded migrants to their home states amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

"I appeal to all the States to give permission to evacuate and bring back their stranded migrants so that we can get all of them back to their homes in the next 3-4 days itself," Goyal wrote on Twitter.

"As per the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railways is fully geared up to run 300 Shramik Special trains every day at short notice since the last six days," he added.

According to an official release, as on May 10, a total of 366 Shramik Special trains have been operationalised from various States across the country, in which 287 trains had reached its destination and 79 trains are in transit.

In these Shramik Special Trains, a maximum of around 1,200 passengers can travel observing social distancing. The nationwide lockdown imposed to contain COVID-19 is due to end on May 17.

( With inputs from ANI )