Migrant workers line up for registration in Sector 22, Chandigarh, on Saturday. (Photo by Jasbir Malhi)

A DAY after the UT Administration launched a weblink and helpline number for the stranded migrant labourers, thousands of migrants came out on Saturday to enroll themselves for registration to go back to their native states. The weblink was disrupted various times due to the server problem. So far, over 13,000 people filed their particulars seeking permission to travel to their native states.

As the administration realised that the process of uploading particulars on the weblink is not easy for all labourers, police personnel were urged to assist them. The process began at beat box level.

The maximum people stranded in Chandigarh are from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Kashmir and West Bengal. The migrants included rickshaw-pullers, auto drivers, construction workers and vendors.

Sudhir Laxman of Jharkhand sitting in a long queue before Sector 22 police beat box near Kiran Cinema said, “We came to know that advance booking of train tickets is going on here. I do not know how to fill out my particulars on the weblink. Policemen are assisting us.”

The Sector 17 SHO, Inspector Jaspal Singh Bhullar, said, “We are noting down their particulars in a register. We are instructed to take care of migrant people residing in our area.”

The nodal officer, Rajeev Tiwari, said, “The web link for migrant labourers was disrupted due to the overload. So many people are visiting the website. We resolved the technical glitch. As we realised that the process of uploading the details is not easy for labourers, we urged the police department to assist them. Cops deputed in beat boxes in each sector were instructed to assist these workers to upload the information or make them generate OTP on their cell phones. Cops are making calls from their cell phones to helpline numbers. We have also engaged people of social welfare department to assist the migrants in uploading their particulars on the web link.”

SSP Nilambri Jagdale instructed all SHOs to assist the migrant population living in their areas for assisting them to enroll for going back to their native states.

Confusion

City BJP president Arun Sood Saturday deputed two persons, including MC councillor Shakti Prakash Devashali, in Sector 29 and Gurpreet Singh at Dariya village for the smooth functioning of Shramik trains for migrant labourers stuck in UT. The nodal officer, Rajeev Tiwari, said, “I am not aware of any Shramik trains scheduled for the migrants struck in Chandigarh.” City BJP president Arun Sood said, “Shramik Trains will start for the migrants shortly.”