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Migrants arrive at Prayagraj.
In a letter to the top secretaries of all union states and territories, Union Secretary of the Interior Ajay Bhalla said the situation of migrant workers walking on roads and railways was noted with great concern.
- News18.com
- Last update: May 11, 2020, 11:13 a.m. IST
The Center has said it has noted with great concern that migrant workers continue to walk on roads and railways to return to their places of origin and called on states to ensure that they travel home on special trains traveling for them from various parts of the country. .
In a letter to the chief secretaries of all union states and territories, the Union’s secretary of the interior, Ajay Bhalla, also sought their cooperation in running more special Shramik trains for migrant workers.
Referring to a meeting held by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Sunday, Bhalla said, at the meeting, the situation of migrant workers walking on roads and railways was noted with great concern.
“Since their movement on special ‘Shramik’ buses and trains has already allowed them to travel to native locations, all state / UT governments must ensure that migrant workers do not resort to walking on the road and on railroad tracks,” said.
In case they are in such conditions, said the home secretary, they should be properly advised, taken to nearby shelters and provided with food, water, etc. until they are facilitated to board the Shramik Special trains or buses to their places of origin. .
Furthermore, Bhalla said, as requested by the cabinet secretary, all state / UT governments should cooperate with the railways to operate more Shramik special trains so that the travel of stranded migrant workers is facilitated at a faster rate.
“I urge everyone to allow them to receive all the special Shramik trains without hindrance and to facilitate the faster movement of stranded migrant workers to their places of origin,” he said.
Sixteen migrant workers, who were walking home to Madhya Pradesh, were hit by a freight train in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, last week after falling asleep on the train tracks.
Bhalla added that states must ensure the smooth movement, including interstate travel, of all medical professionals, paramedics, sanitation personnel and ambulances during the shutdown.
The letter arrived hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with the chief ministers at 3 p.m. Monday to determine modalities for a gradual exit from phase 3 of the shutdown.
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