Good Samaritans offer food to 600 stranded due to train cancellations

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: When nearly 600 passengers, mostly inter-state migrant workers who work at Sringeri, Kodagu and Belur under different sectors reached the SMVT station in Bengaluru, they thought they would go home. But a number of trains got cancelled as the restoration of tracks, due to the Odisha train mishap, is on. A few Good Samaritans helped these stranded workers at the railway station, providing them with food, said Tanveer, an activist and volunteer from a Muslim group Gifting Sunnah.

“Some of us arranged 1,500 food packets and offered them to the workers. However, there are more who are stranded without a clue about when their “nightmare” will end. A lot of women and children are also stuck and their next move is bleak,” he said.

Railway officials told News Trail that they refunded the fair to passengers, though one of them claimed he didn’t get it. “It is estimated around 600 passengers are stuck at the station. Refunds have been given to the passengers of cancelled trains,” he said. Further, the official added that they are in touch with the department on resuming trains and will issue an update on the same. An other passenger claimed that they have not been told about the cancellation of trains and said they didn’t get the refund amount.

“I didn’t get the refund amount yet and the next train to my hometown is on June 6. I have to wait here until then, and need nearly Rs 2,000 to meet my expenses,” the migrant labourer said. Several other trains have been diverted due to the ongoing track restoration process.