150 migrant labourers leave for Odisha from Surat

In a relief to workers stranded in Surat city due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, three private luxury buses carrying around 150 migrant labourers from Odisha left Surat in Gujarat on Monday. The evacuation started after the Surat district administration gave permission to these buses to ferry migrant labourers to their native places in Odisha. Accordingly, three buses carrying 150 Odisha natives started their journey from Surat city and they are expected to reach the eastern state in around two days, officials said. "The Surat district collectorate on Monday gave permission to three private luxury buses to take around 150 migrant workers to their respective places in Odisha," said Resident Additional Collector S D Vasava.

Earlier on Sunday, Navsari MP CR Patil said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asked the state government to allow people to go to their native places at their own expense. "Many labourers are stuck in Surat and there is little chance that industries will reopen in near future. Taking into consideration our representation, Shah asked the state government to allow people to go to their native places at their own expense. "The state government then informed the Surat collector to allow such travels," Patil told reporters on Sunday. After the lockdown was imposed around a month back to stem the spread of coronavirus, Surat had witnessed incidents of violence and stone pelting by distressed migrant wokers wanting to go home.