MHA allows special trains to ferry stranded due to lockdown
Home Ministry has allowed to use of trains to ferry people stranded due to lockdown.
The Ministry has revised the order saying, the movement of migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places is allowed by Special Trains to be operated by Railway Ministry.
The order said, Ministry of Railway will designate nodal officer for co-ordinating with States and Union Territories for their movement.
Railway Ministry will issue detailed guidelines for sale of tickets, social distancing and other safety measures to be observed at train station, platform and within the trains.
Here’s the verified clarification regarding the Central Government’s decision on train movement for people stranded during India’s COVID‑19 lockdown:
Contents
✅ Home Ministry Permitted Trains for Stranded People
- On 1 May 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officially allowed the Ministry of Railways to operate special passenger trains—known as Shramik Special trains—specifically to transport migrant workers, students, pilgrims, tourists, and others stranded across the country due to lockdown restrictions.
- This marked a shift from earlier policies where only state-run buses were permitted for interstate movement. The new directive allowed railways to be used, strictly for stranded persons under coordinated protocols.
📋 Key Guidelines & Implementation
- Anchor Protocols (per MHA-railways coordination):
- Movement occurs only upon state government requests, with state-defined lists of passengers.
- Both sending and receiving state/UT must appoint nodal officers for coordination.
- Passengers are pre-screened (screening must clear asymptomatic status) before boarding and after arrival.
- Traveling must follow social distancing rules—max 55 passengers per coach, middle berth empty, no internal connectivity.
- Ticket costs are borne by the state (15%) and Railways (85%); passengers didn’t pay directly.
🧭 Timeline & Broader Impact
- The first train under these rules departed early 1 May 2020, from Lingampalli (Telangana) to Hatia (Jharkhand) carrying ~1,200 migrants.
- By 5 May 2020, over 2,000 parcel trains and numerous Shramik Specials had been mobilized to support supply chains and migrant transport.
✅ Summary Table
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Order Issued By | Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) |
| Train Type | Shramik Special trains |
| Purpose | Transport stranded migrants, students, tourists, pilgrims |
| Authority to Operate | Indian Railways, in coordination with requesting states |
| Screening & Safety | Mandatory thermal screening, social distancing, mask compliance |
| Ticket Funding | Shared: 85% by Railways, 15% by state; passengers not charged |
| First Train | 1 May: Lingampalli → Hatia (Jharkhand) |
| Procedure | Trains only run after formal request from state governments |
🧠 Additional Context
- This announcement acted as a critical escalation: up until then, inter-state travel was allowed only via buses, not trains.
- The Home Ministry issued official guidelines through the Disaster Management Act, mandating nominated officials, passenger lists, ticketing protocols, and health measures.
- These trains rapidly became a lifeline for migrants, and within days, dozens of trains began operating across many states to ferry workers safely back to their regions.
Would you like to see:
- Specific directives or notifications issued by MHA?
- Real examples or timelines of early Shramik trains (e.g. Telangana, Kerala to Odisha)?
- Passenger data or state-by-state train operations summary?