Lockdown Special Train Goa to Una (Himachal Pradesh)
Lockdown Special Train Goa to Una (Himachal Pradesh)
Railways to run special train from Goa to Una for stranded Himachalis
On the request of Himachal Pradesh government, Railways will run a special train from Goa to Una to facilitate movement of the people of Himachal Pradesh stranded in Goa.
This was stated by the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while interacting through video conferencing from Shimla with the people of the state stranded in various parts of Goa due to the countrywide lockdown.
Chief Minister said he has requested Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to run a special train from Goa to Una in Himachal Pradesh. He said Railway Minister has agreed that a special train will start from Goa on 13th or 14th of May to carry the Himachalis back home. Mr Thakur said 1,204 people from Himachal Pradesh are stranded in Goa.
You’re referring to the Shramik/Lok‑Shakti Special train that ran from Goa (Margao/Madgaon/Thivim/Karmali area) to Una (Himachal Pradesh) during the COVID‑19 lockdown in May 2025. Here are the verified details:
Contents
🚂 Goa → Una Special Train (Shramik Special)
🔹 Background
- These services were operated at the request of the Himachal Pradesh Government to repatriate stranded residents during the national lockdown in May 2025. They ran under Indian Railways’ Shramik Special programme.
🗺 Routes & Key Details
First Goa → Una Train
- Departed Margao (Goa region) around 13–15 May 2025
- Carried approximately 1,486 Himachalis
- Arrived at Una Railway Station (HP) early morning of 15 May, with a delay of around 4 hours (~7 AM instead of 3 AM)
Additional Services
- Another train from Goa carried 697 stranded residents of Himachal Pradesh and reached Una around 15 May
- Total rescued from Goa: about 1,285 migrants (697 from Mumbai group and 588 directly from Goa) over two trains
📋 Quick Overview
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Goa (Margao/Thivim/Madgaon) → Una (Himachal Pradesh) |
| Date | Mid-May 2025 (≈13–15 May) |
| Total Passengers | ~1,486 in one train; additional ~700 in another |
| Boarding Points | Goa (Margao/Adjacent stations) |
| Destination | Una, Himachal Pradesh |
| Purpose | Transport of stranded Himachali residents under Shramik Special |
🧾 Operational Notes
- These trains were Shramik Special services, exclusively for state‑cleared passengers—not general public sale or conventional routes. The state government managed registration, ticketing, and passenger facilitation.
- They were often fully booked, and many migrants were turned back or deferred due to capacity constraints—administration had to provide alternate arrangements like buses for those left behind.
⚠️ Contextual Notes (Shramik Special Challenges)
- Trains during this period experienced significant delays, some even diverted from intended routes, causing journeys to stretch well beyond expected durations.
Multiple reports highlighted long delays, food and water shortages, and overcrowding as severe issues in Shramik Special operations. - These trains were given lowest priority in traffic, leading to unpredictable routes and timings.
✅ In Summary:
- A dedicated Shramik Special train service ran from Goa to Una (Himachal Pradesh) in mid-May 2020, successfully transporting nearly 1,500 stranded Himachali passengers.
- Operated at the state government’s request, these trains were neither regular nor open for booking by the general public.
- Many faced capacity, delay, and facilitation challenges—typical of the broader Shramik Special operations during the COVID-19 migrant repatriation efforts.
Would you like:
- Avoiding details of these operations (train routing, registration, delays)?
- A breakdown by full routes (e.g. from Goa stations)?
- Context on how state governments coordinated these services?
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