Sena, Cong take jibe at Goyal over diversion of UP-bound train

Taking a dig at Railway Minister Piyush Goyal over diversion of the Vasai Road-Gorakhpur Sharmik Special train via Odisha, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said their only request is that a train carrying migrant workers should reach its destination as announced.

Shiv Sena's ally Congress also took a dim view of the train diversion, saying the government was "taking migrant workers on a country tour" without providing them food and water.

Both the allies also criticised Goyal after he said on Sunday night that his ministry was ready to run 125 Shramik Special trains from Maharashtra provided the state government furnishes a list of eligible migrants to the Mumbai- headquartered Central Railway in an hour.

However, the NCP, which is also an alliance partner in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government, said Goyal and his ministry are under pressure and their efforts to run the trains should be appreciated.

The Vasai Road-Gorakhpur Sharmik Special train to Uttar Pradesh, which left from Palghar on May 21, was diverted to a different route via Odisha due to heavy congestion. It reached Gorakhpur two-and-a-half days later, when it should have reached the destination in about 25 hours.

Amid the political slugfest over the Shramik Special trains, Goyal on Sunday night said, "We are ready to provide 125 Shramik Special trains to Maharashtra."
Commenting on it, Raut on Monday tweeted: "Maharashtra government has given you a list of workers who wish to return home. The only request is that the train should reach the station, as announced earlier."