Migrant workers heave a sigh of relief as a special non-stop train with around 1,200 stranded people started from Telangana to Jharkhand''s Hatia, officials confirmed on Friday, May 1.

Water train for Chennai
The train will reach Hatia at around 11 pm today night.Representational image

This was the first train to ferry migrants amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown, according to railway officials.

ALSO READ: Indian Railways starts another special train

The non-stop train operated as a one-off service on Friday morning from Telangana to Hatia in Jharkhand. Sources confirmed that the train carrying 1,200 migrant workers from Telangana left from Lingampalli station at 5 am.

Speaking to a news agency, Railway Protection Force (RPF) Director General Arun Kumar said, "A non stop train from Telangana to Jharkhand started this morning with 1,200 migrants."

He said the train will reach Hatia around 11 pm today night.

According to officials in Jharkhand, the state government has made adequate arrangements for the testing and quarantine of the migrants returning to the state from the special non-stop train.

The railways have suspended the passenger, mail and express train services in a bid to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Last month, hundreds of migrants reached Bandra terminus railway station in Mumbai after rumour was spread that train services were resumed.

(With agency inputs)

Also Read