On 2nd May, 2020, Ministry of Railways issued a guideline to state governments on the their request to run special trains for migrant workers
The guideline states the trains are being run only for those persons whom state government clears to travel and not for general public.
The same day, BJP Spokes person Sambit Patra shared a press note by Ministry of Home Affiares which states 85% of the fare will be born by Railways and the 15% remains will be by state government.
And no tickets being sold at any station.
Rahul Gandhi ji,
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) May 4, 2020
I have attached guidelines of MHA which clearly states that “No tickets to be sold at any station”
Railways has subsidised 85% & State govt to pay 15%
The State govt can pay for the tickets(Madhya Pradesh’s BJP govt is paying)
Ask Cong state govts to follow suit https://t.co/Hc9pQzy8kQ pic.twitter.com/2RIAMyQyjs
The state governments are requested to collect the fares and hand over to the Railways
Eventually, a picture of a ticket started to being circulated over social media, accusing Railways for the full fares being charged.
Though the ticket appears to be to travel from Vasai road to Gorakhpur on 3rd May, 2020, the ticket also displays that the fare is been paid in ‘Advance’.
Thought the ticket is not fake yet the story which speaks of the fares are being collected from migrants is unproven
According to the directive issues by MHA there were no restriction of issuing the tickets however the 85% of the stranded cost would be subsidized by Railways and the remaining 15% would be contributed by state governments concerned.
A journalist of ABP News also tweet with such tickets attached
भारत सरकार, रेल मंत्रालय Guidelines, 2 मई
— Dibang (@dibang) May 4, 2020
टिकट बिक्री पर point 11
साफ़ है टिकट खिड़की से नहीं बिकेंगे
11 B, C देखें लिखा है रेलवे टिकट छापकर राज्य सरकार को देगी
राज्य सरकार मज़दूरों को टिकट देगी और उस टिकट का किराया वसूलेगी और कुल रकम रेलवे को देगी#टिकट देखें#FreeTrains4Workers pic.twitter.com/h3FrVuWPq8
There are some speculations around states being paying for the tickets yet the local staff at some railway stations are making the migrant workers pay for the same tickets again and are keeping the paid money with them but none of the authentic source or evidence surfaced proving the fares being collected from migrants.
A tweeter handle, on 4th May, shared an order of Railways stating an additional amount is being charged over and above the the fare for sleeper mail express trains.
देबांग यह देश वर्तमान में सिर्फ झूठ पर चल रहा है, सच का एक आईना मेरे पास भी है pic.twitter.com/RGtJ5uupid
— Rajeev Mohan Mishra (@RajeevMohanMis2) May 4, 2020
However, the order still not state anything with regards to collect the fares from the migrants.
#Economist shared a video in which travelers are being stating a nominal amount being charged however such a payments is not in records of Railways or any authority as such.
