After several deaths on special trains, Piyush Goyal urges people to travel ‘only when necessary’

The Railways sought cooperation from all passengers, saying safety is their biggest concern.

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Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday urged people to travel in Shramik Special trains “only when necessary”. His comments came after at least nine migrants died on board the special trains since Monday as a severe heatwave hit most of northern India.

“I appeal to people suffering from serious ailments, pregnant women and those above 65 years and below 10 years of age to travel only when necessary in Shramik trains,” he tweeted. “Railway parivaar is committed to ensuring safety of all passengers.”

In a statement, the Indian Railways said special trains were being run daily throughout the country to ensure that migrant workers were able to reach their homes. “It has been observed that some people who are availing this service have pre-existing medical conditions which aggravates the risk they face during the Covid-19 pandemic,” it added. “A few unfortunate cases of deaths related to pre-existing medical conditions while travelling have happened.”

The Railways sought cooperation from all passengers, saying safety was their biggest concern. “Indian railway parivaar is working 24x7 to ensure that rail services are provided to all the citizens of the country needing to travel,” it said. “In case of any distress or emergency please do not hesitate to reach out to your railway parivaar and we will help you as always [helpline number – 139 and 138].”