Special train to operate from Goa and Bengaluru to Una to facilitate movement of stranded Himachalis: Jai Ram Thakur

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday informed that the Central government has agreed to run a special train from Goa to Una and Bengaluru to Una to facilitate movement of Himcahalis stranded in these two states.

"On the request of the State government, the Union government has agreed to run a special train from Thivim/Margao/Karamali(Goa) to Una to facilitate movement of the people of Himachal Pradesh stranded in Goa," Thakur said while addressing the meeting of nodal Officers.

He said that a special train would start from Goa on May 13 or 14 to carry the Himachalis back home and another special train would start from Bengaluru on May 11 to Una.

The Himachal Pradesh government was also contemplating to urge the Centre to start similar trains from Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal and Bihar to facilitate the people of Himachal Pradesh stranded there.

All those who will come back to the state would be thoroughly medically examined and would have to stay under institutional quarantine before they could go to their native places.

Moreover, all the Himachalis coming from Punjab, Maharashtra and from other red zones of the country would undergo test for COVID-19.Chief Minister said that as many as 52,763 people of the state stranded in different parts of the country have applied for the COVID e-pass similarly about 63,044 people of different states of the country stranded in Himachal Pradesh want to leave the state for their native places.

Till date, as many as 30,219 people of other states have already left Himachal Pradesh.

The authorities have been asked to ensure adequate arrangements and proper social distancing at the Una railway station.

( With inputs from ANI )