Posted in City Updates, Transportation

SHAMIK TRAIN : ENROUTE TO THE MOTHERLAND

By Padma Dolma

Image courtesy patrika

COVID-19 Quarantine period has kept the people away, not only from the people they admire but also from their jobs, livelihood, hometown, home, family, love, but the virus had transmitted day by day through out the country like a monsoon strom travel and come forth all together and distorts the city. The SHAMIK TRAIN had got a hope on them, the one who are away from their loved ones.

This whole two months they had suffered going back to their respective hometowns. Their sufferings had answered them, these trains had ranned on the tracks from last month for the migrant peasants to travel back home. When the lockdown was imposed by the PM, these people had no where to go, no jobs to earn money, no food to eat, not even a shelter to sleep. The states borders were sealed and no one was allowed to travel inter state.

When the SHAMIK TRAIN was on the move half of the battle was won and half was with the deadly virus which had infected more than a million people worldwide. Total 642 trains had made it to nearly 8 lakh people to their homes. 100 trains run everyday, carrying 54 people in each in 24 coaches having 72 seats to maintain social distancing. Guidelines of the train is online and the ticket fare is 90% discounted, services has been shared on a 85:15 ratio with states.

While the railways has not yet announced the cost incurred on the special services, the officials indicate that the national transporter has spent around â‚¹80 lakh per service.