Special train carrying 580 passengers reaches Pathankot

A special train carrying 580 passengers from Maharashtra's Thane reached Pathankot's Chakki Bank railway station on Sunday amid the fourth phase of nationwide lockdown.

The passengers belonging to 11 districts of Himachal Pradesh were later sent to their native places through buses.

ADM Dr M.R. Bhardwaj, Additional Superintendent of Police, Rajesh Kumar, along with others, welcomed the passengers.

Earlier this week, two trains starting from Chennai and Hyderabad, carrying 377 migrant workers belonging to Himachal Pradesh reached Pathankot. From there, they were sent to the nearby quarantine centers through HRTC buses.

While talking about the situation, ADM Bhardwaj said," All these people were sent to the institutional quarantine centers set up in their respective districts by 28 special buses of HRTC. Special arrangements were made for food packets, fruits, juices and water by the administration for all the passengers."

A resident of Nadaun in Hamirpur district, who was working in a Diamond company in Mumbai, said that his mother had died in April, but he could not reach home due to the lockdown. But due to the efforts of the state government, he will now be able to meet his family members.

Another passenger, a resident of Una, who arrived with his family through the special train, thanked the state government for making the arrangements which enabled him to return to his native place, a feat he had deemed almost impossible till some days ago.

The Ministry of Railways is currently running 15 pairs of passenger trains with AC coaches and limited stops from May 12 to facilitate the movement of people during the lockdown.

The Railways is also running "Shramik special" trains after MHA had recently granted permission for movement of stranded citizens including migrants laborers, workers, students, tourists to return to their native towns.

( With inputs from ANI )