Workers fill water in Central Railway train tanks to transport to drought affected Latur District from Miraj station near Sangli on Sunday. (PTI)
Highlights
- Train with emergency supplies was stocked this morning
- Fewer water containers than planned because it was taking too long
- Train waited for several hours at a station, reasons unclear
Latur in Marathwada is familiar with drought. For years, farmers have been battered by truant rains. As the emergency hits unprecedented extremes, a train filled with water is en route- but it's running several hours late and with a far smaller supply than initially planned.
"Railway wagons reach Miraj. Filling up of drinking water in process. Wagons to be sent to Latur soon," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted this morning.
The plan was to fill about 50 special wagons at Miraj, 300 km from Latur, with water from Ujani Dam. Because that was taking too long, 10 containers were sent on the train and the rest will follow, said railway officials. A total of 5 lakh litres are being transported on this trip.
But after travelling for 1.5 hours with its stock of water, the train was stuck for hours at the Sangola station in Solapur district. Sources said "permissions were awaited" without offering details; others said arrangements to distribute the water were being planned in Latur - which is a five-hour journey from here.
Marathwada is facing one of its worst droughts in about 100 years. Seven of the 11 major dams in the region have gone dry. In Latur city, healthcare has been affected as hospitals have been forced to delay or postpone operations because of the water shortage.
Another train with 50 wagons of water is expected to be ready on Friday, a railway official confirmed.