42,000 migrants left in 35 trains from Maharashtra so far: Official

Mumbai, May 13

Nearly 42,000 migrant labourers have so far been ferried to their home states in 35 trains from Maharashtra, a state Home department official said.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs earlier this month allowed the use of trains for ferrying people stranded due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown to their respective states.

“As many as 35 trains have left so far from various parts of Maharashtra carrying nearly 42,000 migrant labourers back to their home states. The number will jump in the coming days, thanks to the Indian Railways’ decision to run more trains for migrant workers,” the official said on Tuesday.

A large number of migrant labourers in Maharashtra have been registering themselves with local police in a bid to go back home.

Some of the main railway stations for long distance trains in the state have been witnessing a steady stream of migrant workers who are desperate to go back home.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has also conducted about 300 bus services so far to drop the homeward-bound migrant labourers at the state border along Madhya Pradesh, another official said.

This has been done to facilitate transportation of labourers who have set off for their homes on foot, a senior MSRTC official said.

“The MSRTC has been running some bus services from Nashik, Pune and Mumbai for labourers who are walking on roads. We have decided to drop them at least at the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border to ease some of their travel woes,” the official said. —PTI