The New Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram Central COVID-19 AC Special Train carrying over 600 passengers reached the Kerala capital on Friday morning, a first after the passenger train services were stopped due the national lockdown on March 25,
Of the 1,087 passengers bound to Kerala, 216 had alighted at Kozhikode railway station on Thursday night and 269 in Ernakulam Junction at 1.20 a.m. on Friday. The remaining 602 passengers bound for Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts alighted when the 02432 special train reached Thiruvananthapuram Central in the morning.
Sixty one passengers hailing from Tamil Nadu also alighted here.
Six passengers who showed symptoms of COVID-19 were shifted to Kozhikode Medical College and one to General Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram after the screening at the railway stations.
The passengers to various districts were taken in KSRTC buses, and those having private vehicles were allowed to proceed to their homes in them. All travellers will have to undergo 14 days compulsory quarantine at home or at the government-designated place.
Elaborate arrangements were made at the railway stations in the State for the hassle-free health check up at the platforms and early exit by the health, railways and the district administrations.
After sanitising, the same rake will be used to operate 02431 special train to New Delhi from Thiruvananthapuram Central at 7. 15 p.m.on Friday. In the return journey, the special train will stop only at Ernakulam Junction and Kozhikode stations.
