Train carrying 1,000-odd people leaves Ahmedabad for Delhi

A special train carrying

around 1,000 passengers, most of whom were stranded in Gujarat after lockdown was announced in March, left for Delhi from the Sabarmati railway station here on Tuesday evening.

Twenty-five passengers were not allowed to board as they were found to have high temperature, officials said.

The passengers, who had booked the tickets online, were screened at the main gate of the station to check if they had coronavirus symptoms.

A disinfectant was also sprayed on their luggage.

While special trains for migrant workers are already plying, it had been almost 50 days since a train carrying ordinary passengers left from Ahmedabad, said officials.

 

The fully air conditioned train will reach Delhi around 8 am on Wednesday after covering a distance of 864 kilometres, stopping at Palanpur, Abu Road, Jaipur and Gurugram on the way.

"During the screening, 25 passengers were found to have high temperature. So we did not allow them to board the train," said Divisional Railway Manager Dipak Jha.

"Some of them were accompanied by family members who did not wish to go alone, so around 40 persons with confirmed reservations did not board the train," he said.

For those who could travel on the train, it was a huge relief.

"I came here from Jaipur to place order for gents' garments and never thought I will have to spend so many days in a small hotel room. I even ran out of money and there was no one in this city whom I could call for help," said Ronak Pancholi, a trader from Rajasthan.

Arun Kumar from Delhi was visiting Ahmedabad just to meet his old friend when lockdown was announced.

"I had planned to stay here for only two days but got stranded. I felt I had become a burden on my friend and his family. My parents back home could not sleep well all these days. Today I am so much relieved," he said.