Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas
Video Producer: Aastha Gulati
I am student in Bengaluru. I was stuck here during the lockdown. I had registered on Seva Sindhu portal. The Karnataka government helped me with the Shramik train. So I boarded one of the Shramik Express from Bengaluru to Mau, Uttar Pradesh at 5.40 pm on 19 May. We got two bottles of water, two fruits, rice, chappati. Around 6.40 am the next morning, we reached Secunderabad and got two more bottles of water.
We were supposed to reach Nagpur around 2 pm but reached at around 8 pm. From Nagpur we reached Itarsi.
The same thing happened as in Secunderabad. Railway staff put food packets outside the door and asked everyone to take it. The passengers, already exhausted, pounced on the food.
After Itarsi came Bhopal junction. We thought we would get proper food in Bhopal but got the same – water, that was hot.
A Journey Without Adequate Food or Management
On 21 May at 8 pm we reached Kanpur. We didn’t get food. Thanks to my relative who had given me some food that I was able to share with my co-passengers in the compartment.
At 1 am on 22 May, we reached Lucknow. Maybe people weren’t told but a lot of passengers started de-boarding from the train.
Major Lapses Noticed During Screening & in the Train
As far as I remember there was no social distancing. Some people were wearing masks, some weren’t, but it got so hot and there was no water. Not to go to the bathroom or to drink.
So no one wanted to wear a mask, even I took it off because it got so suffocating.
The distance from Lucknow to Mau takes four hours to cover maybe six. But we reached on 22 May at 12 noon. It took us 12 hours. The train was stationary for a while because another train had just arrived. So we were told not to de-board.
We got off at 2 pm and stood in a line till 4.30 pm. Around 5 pm we got our screening done. There was no food or water provided, not just to passengers but even the police personnel. In this situation, both groups are in problems.
This is the responsibility of the authorities that in the place that is been made for medical screening, people should maintain social distancing. It should have space and be hygienic. There were cows in that tent and their excreta was lying there. How can people be there?
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