TN workers stuck in Maharashtra reach Trichy by special train, more migrants leave state

Nearly 1,000 workers from Tamil Nadu, stranded in Maharashtra, reached Tiruchirappalli on Sunday by a special train, even as the Southern Railway operated similar services to ferry over 3,000 workers to destinations in Manipur and Andhra Pradesh among others from the state.

As workers belonging to other states and stuck in Tamil Nadu have been leaving for their respective states, 969 men arrived at Tiruchirappalli from Pandharpur in Maharashtra.

Similar trains left Chennai, one each for Srikakulam in AP and Jiribam in Manipur, besides another from Tirupur, Southern Railway said.

"Shramik Special from Pandharpur (Maharashtra) arrived at Trichy at 11:50 am with 969 passengers belonging to Tamil Nadu. District and Railway authorities received them after letting them go through health formalities.

They proceeded to their native districts by buses arranged by the district officials," Southern Railway General Manager said on his twitter handle.

He further tweeted that two Shramik (Migrants) Special services were operated from Chennai on Sunday.

One departed for Srikakulam carrying 881 passengers, while the other left for Jiribam in Manipur with 1,081 people.

In both cases, the passengers were registered and nominated by the Tamil Nadu govenrnment.

"Thermal screening of passengers done & social distancing ensured while boarding & on board by keeping middle berth vacant," he tweeted.

Further, a similar special train carrying 1,140 migrant workers left from Tamil Nadu's Tiruppur to Muzaffarpur in Bihar.

On Saturday, special trains were operated from a couple of cities in Tamil Nadu to various destinations.

A train left for Jagannathpur in Odisha from here with 1,038 passengers, and another ferrying 1,126 people to Danapur in Bihar departed from Katpadi (Vellore).

Also, 2,280 people (1,140 passengers in each train) began their journey to Jaunpur and Akbarpur, both in Uttar Pradesh, by two separate trains from Coimbatore.

On May 8, a train was operated to Saharsa in Bihar from Coimbatore with 1,140 guest workers.

"Wish all of them have a safe journey. I am glad they will be with their family soon," Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had said.

Thermal screening of passengers was done at the railway stations and people were requested to maintain individual distancing throughout their journey.