Lok Sabha Question No. 1637 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-21
Subject: Expenditure on Shramik Express Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: L.S. Tejasvi Surya, Ajay (Teni) Misra, Prathap Simha, Riti Pathak, Aparajita Sarangi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1637

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.09.2020

## EXPENDITURE ON SHRAMIK EXPRESS TRAINS

1637.  SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA: SHRI AJAY KUMAR MISRA TENI: SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA: SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK:

SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)   the total number and list of Shramik Express Trains, in terms of State of origin, that have plied since March 24, 2020, state-wise;
- (b) the total number of passengers, migrant labourers/students who travelled  on  such  trains  and  the  number  of  passengers  who travelled from each origin state of these trains or railway division, state/division-wise;
- (c)  the  total  expenditure  incurred  to  ply  such  trains  by  each division;
- (d) the price of a ticket for each of these Shramik Express Trains;
- (e) whether the migrant workers travelling from their home state to other  States  for  employment  opportunities  will  be  extended  any reduction in train fare and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (f)  whether  railway  divisions  earned  any  income  from  running  the Shramik Express trains and if so, the details thereof, division-wise?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (f) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  To  (f)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NUMBER  1637  BY    SHRI  L.S.  TEJASVI SURYA,  SHRI  AJAY  KUMAR  MISRA  TENI,  SHRI  PRATHAP  SIMHA, SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK AND SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI TO BE ANSWERED ON LOK SABHA ON 21.09.2020 REGARDING EXPENDITURE ON SHRAMIK EXPRESS TRAINS

(a)    In  order  to  contain  the  spread  of  COVID-19  pandemic,  all passenger carrying  trains  on  Indian  Railways  were  cancelled  from 23 rd   March, 2020. However, keeping in view the urgent requirement of movement of stranded persons, Shramik specials were organized in  a  mission  mode.    These  Shramik  specials  were  organized  as 'trains on demand' as and when State Governments requisitioned at these trains in accordance with the protocol and guidelines given by the  Government.    Shramik  specials  were  started  w.e.f.  01.05.2020 and in all, 4621 Shramik Specials were operated.   The State-wise break up of  Shramik train services so operated  is as under:-

| OUTGOING TRAINS FROM STATES   | OUTGOING TRAINS FROM STATES   |
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| State                         | Number of trains              |
| Gujarat                       | 1033                          |
| Maharashtra                   | 817                           |
| Punjab                        | 429                           |
| Bihar                         | 294                           |
| Uttar Pradesh                 | 376                           |
| Delhi                         | 259                           |
| Tamil Nadu                    | 292                           |
| Karnataka                     | 295                           |
| Telangana                     | 166                           |
| Rajasthan                     | 131                           |
| Kerala                        | 190                           |
| Haryana                       | 101                           |
| Andhra Pradesh                | 69                            |
| Other States                  | 169                           |
| Total                         | 4621                          |

| INCOMING TRAINS FROM STATES   | INCOMING TRAINS FROM STATES   |
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| State                         | Number of trains              |
| Uttar Pradesh                 | 1726                          |
| Bihar                         | 1627                          |
| Jharkhand                     | 222                           |
| Odisha                        | 244                           |
| West Bengal                   | 284                           |
| Madhya Pradesh                | 129                           |
| Chhattisgarh                  | 95                            |
| Assam                         | 103                           |
| Rajasthan                     | 55                            |
| Manipur                       | 22                            |
| Other States                  | 114                           |
| Total                         | 4621                          |

There are no pending requests from any States for Sharmik Special Trains.

- (b) Shramik Specials which were operated between 1st May, 2020 to 31 st   August,  2020  carried  63.19  Lakh  passengers  to  their  home States.  State-wise  details  of  migrant  labours/passengers  moved through Shramik Special trains is appended.
- (c)    to  (f)  Shramik  Special  trains  were  requisitioned  by  State Governments.  In  normal  circumstances,  such  special  trains  are booked by State Government/any agency or by an individual on Full Tariff  Rates  which  include  normal  fare  for  both  directions,  service charge, empty haulage charge, detention charge etc.

Indian Railways allowed booking of Shramik Specials on normal fare  for  one  direction  only.  Special  arrangements  like  enhanced sanitization, special security, medical arrangement, rake sanitization,  free  meals,  water  etc.  for  Shramik  operations,  further added to the overall cost of running these trains.

Railways  have  collected  fare  for  Shramik  Special  trains  from State Governments or their authorized representatives. Railways did not collect any fare directly from the passengers. Fare collected from State Governments or from the representatives of  State  Governments  for  running  of  Shramik  Special  trains  for period  1 st   May,  2020  to  31 st   August,  2020  is  approximately ` 433 crore. Railway  could  recover  a  small  fraction  of  expenditure  incurred  on running  of  Shramik  Special  trains,  thereby  incurring  a  loss  in  the operation of these trains. *****

APPENDIX  REFFERED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  1637  BY  SHRI  L.S.  TEJASVI  SURYA,  SHRI  AJAY KUMAR  MISRA  TENI,  SHRI PRATHAP  SIMHA,  SHRIMATI  RITI PATHAK AND SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 21.09.2020 REGARDING EXPENDITURE ON SHRAMIK EXPRESS TRAINS

| ORIGINATING STATE-WISE BREAKUP OF NUMBER OF MIGRANT LABOURS/STRANDED PASSENGERS MOVED THROUGH SHRAMIK SPECIAL TRAINS   | ORIGINATING STATE-WISE BREAKUP OF NUMBER OF MIGRANT LABOURS/STRANDED PASSENGERS MOVED THROUGH SHRAMIK SPECIAL TRAINS   | ORIGINATING STATE-WISE BREAKUP OF NUMBER OF MIGRANT LABOURS/STRANDED PASSENGERS MOVED THROUGH SHRAMIK SPECIAL TRAINS   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.                                                                                                                  | From (State)                                                                                                           | Total Passengers                                                                                                       |
| 1                                                                                                                      | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                         | 104,915                                                                                                                |
| 2                                                                                                                      | Assam                                                                                                                  | 6,364                                                                                                                  |
| 3                                                                                                                      | Bihar                                                                                                                  | 282,147                                                                                                                |
| 4                                                                                                                      | Chandigarh UT                                                                                                          | 22,742                                                                                                                 |
| 5                                                                                                                      | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                           | 1,556                                                                                                                  |
| 6                                                                                                                      | Delhi                                                                                                                  | 308,181                                                                                                                |
| 7                                                                                                                      | Goa                                                                                                                    | 86,810                                                                                                                 |
| 8                                                                                                                      | Gujarat                                                                                                                | 1,532,712                                                                                                              |
| 9                                                                                                                      | Haryana                                                                                                                | 154,014                                                                                                                |
| 10                                                                                                                     | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                       | 2,460                                                                                                                  |
| 11                                                                                                                     | Jammu & Kashmir                                                                                                        | 44,730                                                                                                                 |
| 12                                                                                                                     | Jharkhand                                                                                                              | 1,691                                                                                                                  |
| 13                                                                                                                     | Karnataka                                                                                                              | 417,378                                                                                                                |
| 14                                                                                                                     | Kerala                                                                                                                 | 310,142                                                                                                                |
| 15                                                                                                                     | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                         | 13,602                                                                                                                 |
| 16                                                                                                                     | Maharashtra                                                                                                            | 1,241,573                                                                                                              |
| 17                                                                                                                     | Nagaland                                                                                                               | 1,600                                                                                                                  |
| 18                                                                                                                     | Odisha                                                                                                                 | 3,788                                                                                                                  |
| 19                                                                                                                     | Puducherry UT                                                                                                          | 3,535                                                                                                                  |
| 20                                                                                                                     | Punjab                                                                                                                 | 528,587                                                                                                                |
| 21                                                                                                                     | Rajasthan                                                                                                              | 176,404                                                                                                                |
| 22                                                                                                                     | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                             | 396,916                                                                                                                |
| 23                                                                                                                     | Telangana                                                                                                              | 191,005                                                                                                                |
| 24                                                                                                                     | Tripura                                                                                                                | 22,434                                                                                                                 |
| 25                                                                                                                     | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                          | 438,390                                                                                                                |
| 26                                                                                                                     | Uttarakhand                                                                                                            | 19,133                                                                                                                 |
| 27                                                                                                                     | West Bengal                                                                                                            | 6,709                                                                                                                  |
|                                                                                                                        | Total                                                                                                                  | 6,319,518                                                                                                              |

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