Nearly 2.71 lakh people sent back to their home states in 214 trains so far: Delhi govt

The Delhi government has sent around 2.71 lakh people back to their home states in 214 trains since May 7, officials said here. The figure includes 30,000 migrant workers who left on Tuesday in 18 trains, according to a statement issued by the government here. Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said nearly 2.41 lakh people had been sent to their home states till Monday.

Addressing an online media briefing, he said nearly 1.25 lakh people had been sent back to Bihar, 96,610 to Uttar Pradesh, 3,000 to Jharkhand, 2,500 to West Bengal and 2,100 to Madhya Pradesh till Monday.

Sisodia appealed to the migrants not to set out for their home towns on foot as the Delhi government was making arrangements for their travel in 'Special Shramik' trains. 

The Delhi government has paid the train fares in most of the cases so far, he said. Recently, the AAP dispensation and the Bihar government had engaged in a war of words over train fares of migrant workers.

Speaking on the procedure of preparing lists of people fit enough to travel, Sisodia said, "People are being screened at their nearby schools. Their body temperature is being checked and lists are prepared of those people not showing any symptoms of COVID 19. Food and snacks are being provided to those who are travelling."

The deputy chief minister said everyone in Delhi would be treated as a resident of Delhi. 

"And we will take care of their food and shelter requirements. A total of 2,500 camps have been set up by the government to serve lunch and dinner to the needy people," he said.