New Delhi, May 14 (IANS): Amid the nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of the novel cvoronavirus, the Indian Railways on Thursday said that it has ferried more than 10 lakh stranded people since May 1 in over 800 Shramik Special trains.

Railway and Comerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday took to Twitter and wrote, "With the untiring efforts of railway employees, the Indian Railways has operated over 800 Shramik Special trains and transported over 10 lakh workers home along with their family members. I am proud of my employees that even in this worldwide crisis, they are working with full devotion in the service of the citizens while performing their responsibility."

A railway spokesperson said that till May 14, a total of 800 Shramik Special trains have been operationalized from various states across the country.

"More than 10 lakh passengers have reached their home states. Trains being run by railways only after concurrence is given both by the state which is sending the passengers and the state which is receiving them," he said.

He said, these 800 trains were terminated in various states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal.

The official further said that proper screening of passengers is ensured before boarding the train. "During the journey, passengers are given free meals and water," he said.

The Indian Railways has started to run Shramik Special train from May 1 to transport the stranded migrant workers, students, pilgrims and tourists across the country.