Migrants walking home provided with essentials free of cost: Centre tells SC

Filing a detailed affidavit before the Supreme Court, the Central government has informed the apex court that migrant labourers who were found walking back home were shifted to the nearest railway station and provided with essential items including food and water. The Centre added that the migrants were shifted to the nearest railway station with the support of NHAI. The affidavit submitted before the apex court also stated that the essentials for migrants are being provided free of cost depending upon their requirements. 

The present affidavit is in continuation of the affidavit filed by the Central government in a suo moto matter taken up by the Supreme Court over the plight of migrant workers amid the Coronavirus consequent lockdown. The BJP-led government at the Centre has also claimed that the Railways have provided free meals and water to the migrants on board Shramik Specials. Till June 1, the Railways have served meals worth Rs 1.63 crores and Rs 2.10 crore worth of packaged water to migrants. The affidavit has also stated that Central government, state government, all frontline workers and the entire nation have responded to and dealt with this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic on a war footing taking care of every aspect of life. 

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Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, on Friday, suggested that states be given 15 days time to transport all migrants back home via 'Shramik' special trains while hearing a plea on the migrant crisis. The verdict in this hearing has been reserved for June 9.

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Stranded migrants issue

After PM Modi had announced the first phase of lockdown, on March 28, thousands of migrant workers were seen thronging the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border at Delhi's Anand Vihar Interstate Bus Terminal in the hope of reaching their homes, defying lockdown and creating a health hazard. Similarly, after PM Modi announced the extension of the lockdown till May 3, on April 14, around 2,000 migrant workers gathered at Bandra station, under the illusion of boarding 'Jansdharan Express' trains to UP, Bengal and Bihar. Apart from this several visuals have been seen of thousands of migrants walking across state borders to reach their native homes due to loss of income amid lockdown.

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Several notable accidents too have occurred killing over a hundred such on-foot travelling migrants. due to lorries colliding, buses overturning etc. The 'Shramik' special trains were started on May 1 as many migrants began travelling back home on foot from cities, due to job loss amid India's extended lockdown. Centre claims 90% of these stranded migrants have been transported back home.

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