The Road and Transport Ministry (MoRTH) has come forward to take care of the journey requirements in terms of shelter and food of the migrants who took to roads after the unfortunate Mumbai railway station chaos early this week.
The Centre's road-making agency NHAI and its concessionaires have tied up with NGOs to cater to the needs of migrants who are on foot on the roads and highways with their families. Lakhs of migrants had gathered at Bandra Railway Station after the rumour that a special train will be run to help people to reach their destinations.
The large gathering was dispersed by police lathicharge and then people from Mumbai took to roads and most of them are still on their way to far flung areas of Bihar, UP, West Bengal and NE States.
In Maharashtra, when a large number of people started to move to their native places in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh & other states this weekend, and were moving ahead with kids and family members under scorching sun, they were offered food and water by the Thane unit of NHAI.
A local NGO ‘Samata Vichar Prasarak Sansthwas also roped in to help in distribution of food packets" said a senior Road Transport Ministry official.
Similarly, in Prayagraj district of UP, many labourers and truck drivers got stuck on Highways due to lock-down.
"They were without food and water. In such a condition, the Project Directorate undertook on itself the responsibility of feeding them. The benevolent work is continuing due to owning up of responsibility by all officers and staff members of the directorate," added the official.
Similar stories have come in from the Fatehpur district of UP, where a large number of people and truck drivers were stranded, and had no food due to closing of roadside eateries. Local Field office came forward and provided food and water to mitigating public.
In Trichi district of Tamil Nadu, NHAI patrolling team found five people at Palur on the NH 45 who were immediately given food and water, and were provided face masks for their safety.
The NHAI concessionaire at Wardha in Maharashtra is sheltering about 50 people since the beginning of the lock-down. Due to closure of roadside restaurants, drivers and commuters on essential duties were facing difficulty in getting food and water.
"MoRTH has taken up the social responsibility of helping people on the roads during the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19. Soon after the announcement by the Prime Minister, the field units of the Ministry across the length and breadth of the country were urged to extend necessary help to their workers/ labours and the common people," said a MoRTH official.
All the field units and offices of the Ministry, as well as the associated organizations NHAI and NHIDCL are coordinating to help mitigate the difficulties of the people.
"Food, water, hand wash facilities are being provided to these people on regular basis while taking care of social distancing and sanitation," added the official.