Under Pressure, Karnataka Govt Decides To Resume Special Trains For Migrant Workers

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has had to reverse its decision to stop special trains from transporting migrant workers to their native states, after facing pressure from all quarters.

The BS Yeddyurappa-led state administration will now restart Shramik Special train services from May 8. They have written to several state governments, including Odisha, seeking their consent to run two special trains daily from May 8 to 15.

Earlier this week, Yediyurappa had appealed to migrant labourers working in Karnataka to stay back. Accordingly, officials of the state administration wrote to the Railways withdrawing the request to arrange for trains scheduled for Wednesday.

This follows a meeting the chief minister had with representatives of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association. Yediyurappa had said that the coronavirus situation in Karnataka was under control compared to many other states. He felt several key activities needed to be restarted outside the red zones and hence asked labourers to avoid travelling back to their home states.

Ultimately, though, he found no takers and had to change his decision.