Passengers of Moscow-Dushanbe trains who were removed from the trains for violation of the Russian migration legislation have got stuck at Aksaray-1 railway station in Russia’s Astrakhan oblast for more than a week. Tajik Railways (Tajik state railway company) has reportedly decided to take them to Tajikistan free of charge.
Fayzullo Orifjonov, one of passengers who were removed from the train on November 2, told Asia-Plus by phone that 50 Tajik nationals, all of them are migrant workers, were fined 2,000 Russian ruble each on November 8.
According to him, about 130 passengers were removed from the train on November 2 and 60 others were removed from the train on November 4. “Later, 20 other persons joined out ranks,” Orifjonov said.
The majority of those fined have reportedly lost their passports and migration cards. Tajik nationals were removed from trains because certificates on return to homeland issued to them by the Tajik Embassy in Moscow in exchange for lost passports have caused doubts of Russian border guards.
Many of those who have got stuck at the Aksaray station even do not have money to buy ticket.
Meanwhile, Sarvar Bakhti, a spokesman for the Tajik Embassy in Moscow, says Tajik Railways (Tajik state railway company) has agreed to take Tajik nationals who got stuck in Astrakhan to Tajikistan free of charge.
Trains run between Moscow and Dushanbe three times a week and rail travel from Aksaraysk to Dushanbe takes two days.
On November 8, a group of representatives of the Tajik Embassy in Moscow, Tajik Railways and migration service agency arrived in Astrakhan to closely monitor the situation.
The Embassy representatives reportedly confirmed the validity of certificates given to people in exchange for lost documents and the certificates’ terms have been extended so that people could leave for Tajikistan.
“To-date, about 130 our nationals have remained in Astrakhan and all of them will depart for Tajikistan upon completion of legal procedures,” Bakhti said.
