GUWAHATI, May 29 - Maligaon-headquartered Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has so far provided more than 2.40 lakh free meals to passengers travelling on Shramik Special trains.
�It is ensured that all the passengers get sufficient food and drinking water for the further journey period once the Shramik Special trains arrive in the jurisdiction of NFR for onward journey towards various locations in the north-eastern states. In the period from May 7 to May 26, a total of 2,40,436 meals were provided to passengers of various Shramik Special trains at various locations. More than 12,000 meals have been provided daily in the NFR area to passengers,� said Subhanan Chanda, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NFR.
While the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) provided 2,05,672 meals during this period to passengers of the Shramik Special trains, 34,764 meals were provided by the railway authorities with own arrangement.
�The number of meals provided on a particular train depends on the number of passengers, the route and the journey time of the train. It has been found that on an average about 1,343 meals were provided to each of the Shramik Special trains each time. Meals are being supplied at stations where there is feasibility for the same and adequate manpower for distribution as well as monitoring is also available. All protocol related to COVID-19 has to be followed while distributing meals to passengers,� said Chanda.
In NFR area meals have been provided at stations like Guwahati, Lumding, Badarpur, Mariani, New Bongaigaon, Tinsukia, Katihar, New Jalpaiguri, New Cooch Behar and New Alipurduar.
�Apart from providing meals, watering of the train and cleaning of toilets, among other measures, are also being ensured at regular intervals so that passengers travelling on these trains do not face any hardship,� said Chanda.
The Shramik Special trains, which started operations from various locations earlier this month, are being run as per guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs at the request of respective state governments. Most of the passengers travelling on these trains are migrant labourers and their families, students and patients.
