Coronavirus: Roads to Anand Vihar, Ghazipur shut after mass exodus of migrant workers

After witnessing a mass exodus of migrant labourers in Delhi's Anand Vihar on Saturday, the Delhi police on Sunday has shut the roads leading to Anand Vihar and Ghazipur, effectively sealing that part of the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, as per sources. This development comes after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) ordered all states to seal all their borders - banning human movement between states, only goods' movement allowed. Currently, the number of Coronavirus cases reported in India is 979, with 25 deaths.

AAP slams Yogi govt's 'dirty politics' as thousands of migrant workers crowd Delhi border

MHA issues orders on migrant labourers

• State/UT govts to provide shelter, food to poor including migrant labourers
• Migrant labourers who have moved towards their home states to be kept in 14-day quarantine in government facilities after screening
• All employers (industry, shops, commercial establishment) to pay wages to workers during the lockdown
• On month rent to be waived by landlords of migrants
• Landlord forcing students to vacate will be liable for action
• All district and state borders should be effectively sealed
• States have been directed to ensure there is no movement of people across cities or on highways, only goods movement allowed

WATCH: Migrant exodus from Delhi to UP stopped at Ghazipur; Police asks them to return

Migrant workers crowd at Delhi's Anand Vihar bus stop

On Saturday, thousands of migrant workers were seen thronging at the Anand Vihar Interstate Bus Terminal at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in the hope of reaching their homes inspite of the threat of the spread of the coronavirus disease. Some claimed that they had been transported to the bus stop via DTC buses under the assumption that they will be able to board buses to UP. Similarly, several workers were spotted walking towards Uttar Pradesh in Delhi's Ghazipur, but were sent back by Delhi police to avoid mass crowding.

MHA orders states: 14-day quarantine for migrant workers who left homes, waives rent

Delhi CM Kejriwal has made several appeals to the workers to stay in Delhi and not move towards their homes in UP, Bihar promising food and shelter to migrants in Delhi. But the UP government had stated that it will deploy 200 buses every 2 hours from 8 am onward at various points in the bordering districts of Delhi. Both governments have slammed each other over 'petty politics' and 'misleading announcements'.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: MHA orders sealing all state borders, total cases at 979