In a bid to ferry migrants stranded in various parts of the country amid the nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus, 100 Shramik trains to run daily. Also, the Centre has asked States to assist migrants trudging back to their native places.
The Maharashtra Government too announced launch of free bus services up to the borders of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat for migrant labourers, days after 16 workers, who were walking back home to MP were mowed down by a goods train in Aurangabad after they fell asleep on railway tracks.
Official said on Monday that the Railways will now run 100 ‘Shramik Special’ trains daily, adding that 468 such trains have been operated since May 1 ferrying home over five lakh migrants stranded in various parts of the country.
The Railways also decided to carry around 1,700 passengers on board these trains instead of the current 1,200 and the railway zones have also been asked to provide three stops in the destination state other than the terminating station, at the request of the state governments.
The central government has noted with great concern that migrant workers continue to walk on roads and railway tracks, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said in a letter to chief secretaries of all states and union territories and asked them to ensure that such people are provided shelter and food till such time they are facilitated to board the special trains or buses to their native places.
The opposition has been critical of the Centre’s handling of the situation, accusing it of not doing enough to ease the hard ships of the migrant workers, many of whom have lost their jobs during the lockdown which started on March 25.
These people have been desperate to reach their native places, but with public transport suspended and movement restricted, many have resorted to walking or using whatever private vehicles are available, facing immense hardships and even risking their lives. Accidents involving migrants on the move are being reported daily from various states.Returning home to Uttar Pradesh from Telangana, two migrant labourers were killed and seven others injured after a truck they had hitched a ride on to take a break from walking overturned in Gorakhpur district in UP on Monday, police said.