Assam, with the help of Northeast Frontier Railway, evacuated many tourists visiting Puri in Odisha since Thursday noon in view of Cyclone Fani, which is to make landfall there Friday morning, officials said.
The evacuation started after Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, on Thursday morning, directed the chief secretary to evacuate Assamese tourists from the coastal state.
The chief minister had also directed Chief Secretary Alok Kumar to talk to NFR officials about operating special trains in order to bring the tourists back to Assam from there.
Accordingly, state government officials held talks with the NF Railway officials and as a result, a three special trains were pressed into service, a government release said here.
The first train left Puri at 12 noon on Thursday, the second train left from there at 3 pm and the third train started its journey at 6 pm, the release added.
The devotees and tourists from Assam can breathe a sigh of relief now, officials said.
Earlier, the chief minister’s media advisor, Hrishikesh Goswami, spoke to many tourists over phone and enquired about their well-being.
He informed them about special trains that will bring them back to Assam.
