Gandhinagar, 19 June 2013

Chief Minister Narendra Modi today urged Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge to arrange for special trains and extra coaches on trains coming to Gujarat from Dehradun-Haridwar-Delhi on an emergency basis for Gujarati pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand due to heavy and rains in the hills.

In the letter, Mr. Modi also urged the Union Minister to allow these pilgrims travel free in trains and provide food to them on trains as on tour of Char Yatradhams have lost all their belongings. Most of them have lost money and even railway tickets in the unprecedented flood. Those who had gone on private vehicles had lost their vehicles, too.

He requested the authorities to open emergency counters and helpline phone numbers at the railway stations of Uttarakhand and Delhi to help affected passengers return to their respective states.

Mr. Modi wished the Indian Railways would provide all these minimum facilities to the hapless pilgrims on humanitarian grounds.