Operated 1,595 'Shramik Special' trains, ferried over 21 lakh migrants: Railways

The Indian Railways has operated 1,595 'Shramik Special' trains since May 1 and ferried over 21 lakh migrants back home, the national transporter said on Tuesday.

While Uttar Pradesh has allowed 837 trains, Bihar has permitted 428 and Madhya Pradesh more than 100, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said in a tweet.

Among other originating states, more than 188 trains have started from Punjab, 89 from Karnataka, 61 from Tamil Nadu, 58 from Telangana, 54 from Rajasthan, 41 from Haryana and 38 from Uttar Pradesh.

Out of the trains that have terminated so far, the maximum has been in Uttar Pradesh with more than 641, while 73 more are in transit, followed by Bihar with 310 and 53 more on the way.

The operation of these trains has, however, led to a political mudslinging, with the opposition accusing the Centre of charging fares from migrants and then the Centre accusing some states having non-BJP governments of not providing permission for migrant trains to run.

On Tuesday, the railways also said it no longer needed the consent of the destination states to operate such trains after the central government issued a standard operating procedure (SOP), which said that for running 'Shramik Special' trains, permission will be given by the Ministry of Railways in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Railway spokesperson Rajesh Dutt Bajpai said, "Consent of terminating state not necessary to run 'Shramik Special' trains."