Telangana: With no transport, distressed migrants walk their way back home

Amid the Coronavirus crisis, thousands of migrants were seen walking to their homes with no hope of transport in Telangana on Friday. According to the news agency, ANI, the migrant workers have come from Tandur and are walking towards their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The migrant workers said that it has been two months since they have received any help from the government. 

Speaking to ANI, one of the migrant workers said, "If somebody helps us with transport then we can reach our village, we had to walk all the way on foot with our two small children. There is no hope of help for us from neither the landlord nor authorities, hence we decided to go on our own. We have to reach Raichur." 

Meanwhile, another migrant worker said, "We have no facility to reach our native place, we filled a form at the Railway Department but yet no response. My wife is pregnant, even she is suffering now, there is no facility for her either. We have reached the highway in an auto, now we are waiting for a truck, but there is no hope left. We have to walk from here now." According to them, they might reach in the next three days or so. 

Read: Enough foodgrains stock in warehouses across India for free supply to 8 cr migrants: Centre

Home Secy orders state governments/UTs

Meanwhile, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Friday wrote to Chief Secretaries of all states and UTs to ensure that there is no movement of migrant workers on roads and railway tracks, and facilitate their travel through special buses or Shramik special trains. In the letter, Bhalla noted that despite the Ministry's earlier advise to State/UT authorities to appropriately counsel migrants walking on roads and provide them with food, water, and shelter, thousands of them were still seen walking on roads, railway tracks and traveling in trucks in different parts of the country.

Read: Health Ministry issues advisory for healthcare staffs deployed in COVID & other hospitals

He wrote, "Government has allowed the movement of migrant workers by buses and 'Shramik' special trains to enable them to travel to their native places. It is now the responsibility of States and Union Territories to ensure the movement of stranded migrant workers who are willing to go to their home States is facilitated."

Read: Amit Shah meets MHA officials ahead of announcement of lockdown 4.0 guidelines

Read: India's COVID cases at 74,281 from 1.85 million tests; 2,415 deaths & 24,386 recoveries

(With ANI Inputs)