Railways move 7,945 passengers from Uttarakhand

New Delhi: With on-going relief efforts in flood-hit Uttarakhand, the railway have moved around 7,945 stranded passengers to destinations like Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow and Secunderabad since June 20, northern railway officials said on Tuesday.

While around 6,700 passengers were moved in eight special trains, another 1,245 travelled in extra coaches in existing trains, said the officials. Among the special trains that started from Haridwar, two went to Lucknow, three to Delhi and two to Mumbai. A separate train moved from Hazrat Nizamuddin station in Delhi to Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh. Besides food and medical assistance facilities for the passengers at Delhi, New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations, second class coaches have been earmarked for their onward journey, said the officials. Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge has been reviewing the arrangements regularly with Railway Board officials while officers are camping at Rishikesh, Dehradun and Haridwar stations to coordinate relief efforts with local authorities, said Northern Railway officials. Among other facilities for passengers at these stations are 24x7 helpdesks, free telephone calls, extra counters for ticket bookings and refunds, free porters and medical assistance. A total of 778 passengers have been provided medical assistance at Rishikesh, Dehradun and Haridwar stations since June 20. The railway has also provided space to local administration and volunteers and has allowed them to distribute food, medicines and other relief materials. Space has also been given to the Maharashtra and West Bengal governments at Haridwar station for providing relief, said the officials. IANS