BIG: UP govt deploys bus fleet to intercept migrant exodus from Delhi; 100 buses per hour

Taking a step to help the homebound migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, who are stranded in the national capital amid pan-India lockdown, the Yogi Adityanath government has directed the State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) to deploy buses to facilitate their transport. The Managing Director of UPSRTC informed on Saturday that the around 200 Buses buses will depart every 2 hours from 8 am onward at various points in the bordering districts of Delhi.

He also said that few buses which have already left Gaziabad, Noida and bordering areas are on the way to various destination in the state. The UPSRTC has requested the state Police to inform all border checkpoints to allow and facilitate the movement of these buses smoothly. Moreover, the state government has also directed to set up medical screening points for all passengers alighting at the termination points.

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

Earlier, on March 27, a video tweeted by ANI showed that several migrant labourers were attempting to reach their hometowns by walking in the midst of lockdown. In Ghazipur, near the Delhi-UP border, they were stopped by the Delhi Police in a bid to stop mass movement and prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

Spice Jet offers help as migrant workers arduously walk to native places amid lockdown

Bihar's step for stranded workers 

On March 26,  Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that his government will coordinate with other states and bear the expenses of migrant workers, who might have been stranded there owing to the three-week-long nationwide lockdown. CM Kumar made the announcement at a high-level meeting he chaired here to review the situation arising out of the outbreak of the disease.

Kumar also said that a sum of Rs 100 crore has been released from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund which would be utilized by the disaster management department for setting up shelters for rickshaw pullers and daily-wage earners who might be living away from their homes.

COVID-19 lockdown: Mathura admin launches food scheme for people stranded in the district

West Bengal's step for stranded labourers

On March 26, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to 18 chief ministers, asking them to provide aid to the workers from her state who are stranded in different regions due to the 21-day lockdown. She requested the respective state administration to provide the people of her state with basic shelter, food, and medical support during this period of crisis. She had also sought a Rs 1,500 crore package from the Centre to supplement the state government's efforts to deal with the situation.

9-month-old and four others test positive for Coronavirus in West Bengal