Shramik Special Train are being run only on request of State Governments
Shramik Special Train are being run only on request of State Governments
1. It is to clarify that the Shramik Special Trains for nominated people like migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places are being operated ONLY on REQUEST of STATE GOVERNMENTS. All other passenger train services remain suspended.
2. Railways is ONLY accepting passengers BROUGHT & FACILITATED by State Governments.
3. No other group of traveler or individual is allowed to come to station for travel. No tickets are being sold at any station. As such, it is appealed to all Rail passengers, that they should NOT COME directly to the Railway Station under any circumstances please.
4. As such, anyone wanting to travel by these Shramik Special Trains should only contact the concerned State Government Authorities through their nominated Helpline Numbers / Channels.
5. For any other railway related information pertaining to South Central Railway, you may contact the SCR HQ Control Number at: 9701370083 (or) 9701371090 (or) 040-27786834
Yes — Shramik Special trains were run only on the request of state governments, especially during the early phase of the COVID-19 migrant evacuation effort. Here’s a detailed, clarified explanation based on verified sources:
Contents
🚆 Request‑Driven Operations
- In the initial SOP (issued around 2–3 May 2025), Shramik Special trains were explicitly operated only upon demands received from state governments—both originating and receiving states had to mutually consent to a train’s operation. The originating state identified registered migrant passengers and requested the service; Railways issued tickets accordingly.
- As per a senior Railway official:
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“These special trains will be run … on the request of both the concerned State Governments … we will allow only those passengers to board whom state govt officials will bring to Railway Stations.”
🕒 Operational Shift: SOP Revised
- From mid-May 2020, the Home Ministry issued a revised SOP giving Ministry of Railways (MoR) authority to initiate Shramik Special trains without waiting for consent from receiving states, though originating states still formally communicated requests. Motion was then coordinated with MoR and MHA.
- Post-SOP, the Railways committed to operate the requested trains within 24 hours of a state government’s demand.
📋 Summary Table
| Time Period | Request Required From | Consent Needed From Receiving State | Authority to Operate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early May | Both originating and receiving states | Yes | Railway issued after both states’ agreement |
| Mid‑May onwards | Originating state only | No | MoR in consultation with MHA instructed service |
✅ Key Takeaways
- Initially, Shramik Specials operated strictly on dual-state approval, with state-domestic passenger lists and state-distributed tickets.
- Later, procedural revisions reduced dependency on receiving-state consent. Yet, trains continued to be run only after requests from origin state governments.
- Indian Railways repeatedly emphasized that it would run Shramik Special trains within 24 hours of receiving official requests and would scale up as needed.
🔎 Related Notes
- Some states objected politically to receiving trains but lacked formal refusal in SOP process—giving rise to controversy before guidelines clarified the process.
- Over 4,347 Shramik Special services were ultimately run, ferrying about 60 lakh passengers with cooperation (and ability to override delays where needed) across states.
🧭 Final Clarification
Yes — Shramik Special trains were always operated only when officially requested by state governments. No train was run for spontaneous or individual demand. The requirement for state consent was relaxed mid-May—but no train ran without originating-state request, and later guidelines empowered Railways/MHA to act swiftly once such requests came in.
Let me know if you’d like details on state-wise requests, tribunal SOP documents, or a timeline of revised railway bulletins.