Centre allows hiring private buses to ferry migrants home on arriving in 'Shramik' trains

In a bid to ease returning migrants, Centre on Thursday, has allowed states and Union Territories to hire private buses to ferry passengers who were arriving at railway stations via special 'Shramik' trains to ir homes. Ministry has stated that this provision is allowed due to prevalent lockdown in several zones and due to n-availability of public/private transport in most zones. On heels of MHA, Haryana government stated that it will ply buses to felicitate return of people who are stranded in Delhi, from May 18.

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Shramik express and migrants

On May 1, Ministry of Home Affairs allowed movement of stranded migrants, pilgrims, tourists, students and or persons across India via special trains called 'Shramik trains' operated by Ministry of Railways. As of date, Railways has carried 10 lakhs of Shramiks in 800 trains to ir home state. Of se 318 trains have carried 3,84260 people to Uttar Pradesh, according to state government.

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Migrant rail fare controversy

After Centre's Shramik train anuncement, several reports claimed that migrants were being charged rail fare to travel back home, which led to Congress party offering to Centre to pay for all migrant labourers' rail fare. Centre hit back claiming that 85% of fare cost was borne by Centre while 15% was borne by state governments, adding that only Kerala, Rajasthan and Maharashtra had t paid ir share. Since n, Maharashtra and Rajasthan has anunced that State government will pay for migrants' fare.

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Stranded migrants issue

After PM Modi had anunced first phase of lockdown, on March 28, thousands of migrant workers were seen thronging Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border at Delhi's Anand Vihar Interstate Bus Terminal in hope of reaching ir homes, defying lockdown and creating a health hazard. Similarly, after PM Modi anunced extension of lockdown till May 3, on April 14, around 2,000 migrant workers gared at Bandra station, under illusion of boarding 'Jansdharan Express' trains to UP, Bengal and Bihar. Apart from this several visuals have been seen of thousands of migrants walking across state borders to reach ir native homes due to loss of income amid lockdown.