A special train with 10 wagons carrying around five lakh litres of drinking water on Tuesday morning reached Maharashtra’s Latur in Marathwada region, which is battling the worst drought ever.
The railway wagons meant for supplying water to Latur had reached Miraj from Kota in Rajasthan on Sunday. Water was filled in the wagons at Miraj railway station in Sangli district and then it left for Latur around 11 am on Monday.
Speaking to ANI, Latur Mayor Shaikh Akhtar said, "People are so happy that some of them stayed back in night just to see rail wagons."
The carrying capacity of these wagons is 54,000 litres of waters per wagon.
The Maharashtra government has lifted section 144 of CrPC in Latur, saying people were co-operating and the fights over water have stopped.
Latur has been facing a severe water shortage this year. Section 144 prohibits unlawful assembly of five or more persons at a place.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that Maharashtra government and Railway Ministry were working hard to bring relief to people in drought affected region.
On April 8, one of two goods trains carrying 50 wagons of water for drought-affected areas of Latur departed from Kota workshop for Miraj in Pune division.
The second goods train consisting of 50 wagons is expected to be ready for water loading around April 15, a Railway official earlier said.
(With PTI inputs)
