The Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation began its first operation of transporting stranded migrant labourers from Jalore in Rajasthan and Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh with District Collector Gandham Chandrudu and Anantapur Urban MLA Anantha Venkatarami Reddy formally flagging off two buses here on Friday.

The District Collector said a survey was done on the number of migrant labourers, who were either working here or got stuck here during transition from other places, and arrangements were being made to send them to their places either by RTC buses or by the trains to be run by the South Central Railway from various locations in the State. Over 7,000 such migrant workers and stranded people were staying in 30 shelters, all of them wish to leave for their native places to be with their near and dear, he said.

In the first batch, 65 labourers after proper medical screening were sent in two buses and 51 of them from Prakasam district were sent to Addanki and Kokunta. RTC Regional Manager Sumanth R. Adoni said in all they run five buses -- two from Anantapur, one each from Bukkapatnam, Kadiri, and Gooty.

Meanwhile, in Kurnool, the operation continued. Kurnool District Collector G. Veerapandian said in all 24,176 persons had been identified for transpor from Guntur to various locations in the district and the operation would end on Saturday.