On India's Shramik special trains, migrants complain of long delays – with little food or water

Migrants board 'Shramik Special' train at Danapur railway station to reach their native places, in Patna. These trains were started from May 1 amid the lockdown to transport the stranded migrant workers, tourists, pilgrims and students.

Migrants board a Shramik special train to leave for their native places, in Jabalpur. A senior railway ministry official on Tuesday said that till Monday, 3,274 Shramik sSpecial trains have been run and ferried 4.4 million passengers to their home states.

A worker sanitises the luggage of migrants who have arrived from Mangalore by a 'Shramik Special' train at Jodhpur railway station. Railways plans to run 100 pairs of special trains from June 1.

Migrants arrive at Jasidih Junction railway station by Shramik Special train, in Deoghar. Several reports have emerged of trains being hugely delayed. In addition, passengers said they were not served food or water even as their journeys stretched on for days.

Migrants onboard Shramik Special train leave for their native places, in Jabalpur. Some recent reports also say that around 40 shramik trains have lost their way and reached somewhere else rather than their destination.

Migrants flouting social distancing norms as they stand in a queue after deboarding the Shramik Special train at Danapur station, in Patna

Migrants boarded Shramik Express to reach their native place in Himachal Pradesh at Corlim Railway station

Migrants from Lucknow wait to board 'Shramik Special' train to reach their native places at Panvel Railway Station, in Navi Mumbai

A health worker checks the temperature of migrants arriving to board the Shramik Special train for Muzaffarpur, at Bengaluru railway station

Migrants undergo thermal screening after arriving from Tamil Nadu via 'Shramik Special' train at Hatia railway station, in Ranchi

Migrants flouting social distancing norms as they stand in a queue after deboarding the Shramik Special train at Danapur station, in Patna

A migrant refilling a water can on a hot summer afternoon in a Shramik special train while reaching their native places during the ongoing lockdown, in Jabalpur

A woman from Manipur along with her puppy boards 'Shramik Special' train at Dehradun railway station

Migrants board a Shramik special train to reach their native place in Himachal Pradesh, at Corlim Railway station, in Corlim

A Shramik special train carrying migrants leave for Bettiah, Bihar from Mohali railway station