Cyclone Amphan: Mamata Banerjee asks Railways not to send Shramik Special trains till May 26

Indian Today, 23 May 2020: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the railway ministry not to send Shramik Special trains to the state till May 26 in view of Cyclone Amphan. In a letter to Chairman of Railway board VK Yadav, West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha stated that cyclone Amphan has caused extensive damage in the state.

She mentioned that as the district administrations are currently involved in relief and rehabilitation work following the super cyclone Amphan, the state would not be able to receive the Shramik Special trains that ferry migrants, stuck in other states due to coronavirus-induced lockdown, to their native states.

"As the district administrations are involved in relief and rehabilitation works, it will not be possible to receive special trains for the next few days. It is, therefore, requested that no train should be sent to West Bengal till May 26," she said.

At least 80 people lost their lives in the calamity which made landfall between Digha, West Bengal, and Hatia island in Bangladesh on Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction. With normal life thrown out of gear by the region's worst weather disaster, the authorities have been scrambling to restore normalcy.

West Bengal has received the least number of Shramik Special trains since such service began to ferry migrant labourers back home amid the coronavirus-forced lockdown. So far, over 2,000 Shramik Special trains have been operated since May 1 ferrying over 31 lakh migrant workers. Around 25 trains have terminated in Bengal so far.

(With inputs from PTI)