App & SMS Confirmation Chaos Leads to Cancellation of Shramik Spl Trains from K'taka, Workers Suffer

The BS Yediyurappa-led Karnataka government has once again come in the line of fire after cancelled a number of 'Shramik Special’ trains due to alleged shortage of passengers.

The move drew severe criticism from workers’ unions that have been relentlessly helping stranded migrants reach their homes.

Over the past two days, about 16 trains have been cancelled at a time when hundreds of workers were seen gathering at police stations to find out the availability of trains.

The Left-backed All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) said no information was shared regarding cancellation of trains which led to a large gathering of migrant workers at KG Police station.

Sharing a video, it said the migrants, most of whom did embroidery and handwork and were jobless at the moment, are sick with stress and anxiety.

The state Congress unit also came down heavily on the Yediyurappa government for its alleged failure' to address grievances of the migrant labourers during the COVID-19 lockdown, as the party launched the 'Speak Up India' nationwide online campaign against the 'cruelty of the BJP government' on Thursday.

In its defence, the government has submitted to the Karnataka High Court that so far the e-governance department had received 8,33,667 applications covering over 11 lakh people (migrants and stranded labourers) who had registered on the Seva Sindhu App.

However, for confirmation from those who wished to travel, the government wanted a final nod from the migrants via an SMS. That final confirmation came from only 55,646 individuals of whom 47,191 were migrant workers.

The court observed that prima facie this exercise (of seeking clarity via SMS) seems to exclude a large number of people who had registered and wished to return home.

"In order to confirm that those who had registered on the Seva Sindhu website truly intended to travel to their home states, SMSs were sent to all the registered mobile numbers of all applicants, seeking their willingness or otherwise to travel on Shramik trains. The SMSs, which were sent in Hindi and English, requested the recipient to confirm by typing “YES” followed by the last 6 digits of their registration number to a specified three-digit number (161). The initial deadline for responses, which was specified to be 6pm on 26.05.2020, was thereafter extended to 6 pm on 28.05.2020."

"Initially, many had registered but once they got to know about quarantine rules of other states, they reluctant or may have changed their minds. We have repeatedly asked them and have extended the time till May 28 as well," said Manjunath Prasad, the state nodal officer in-charge of migrants’ movement.

According to the state government, 2,52,252 migrants have left Karnataka between May 3 and 27 by 177 Shramik trains. Additionally 25,341 migrants from 19 states across India has also travelled by buses.

The government also told the court that it would act upon the list submitted by the AICCTU and other NGOs who give the authorities inputs on migrants who wish to travel to their home states.

The government further said that it had sought permission for 22 trains to West Bengal, four trains to Bihar, one each to Assam and Odisha.

On Thursday, only two Shramik trains scheduled from Hassan and Bengaluru to New jalpaiguri in West Bengal left with 1,298 passenger on-aboard. Officials of South Western Railway said they was awaiting directions from the state nodal officer to make arrangement for more trains.

State Congress chief DK Shivakumar alleged there was a conspiracy against the migrant labourers, who are the nation builders, to hold them back in the state instead of sending them home with dignity.

"It's a conspiracy (against migrant labourers). We can't keep them like bonded labourers. We have not paid any money to them. They are poor people. We should allow them to go with confidence," Shivakumar said.

He was referring to the state government's decision in the first week of May to cancel Shramik Special trains after builders met the chief minister. The government resumed the train services with 48 hours of suspending it after it came under sharp criticism.

(With inputs from PTI)