KOLKATA: For the 1,186 migrant workers and pilgrims who stepped out of the special train carrying them from Ajmer, Rajasthan, onto the platform of Dankuni station at 10.40am on Tuesday, it was relief after more than a month of uncertainty.
Sanjay Shaw, a resident of Kakinada in North 24 Parganas, who had moved to Rajasthan to work as a mason 10 years ago, could not hide his feelings. He got down from his compartment and touched the platform with his palms, picking up a few grains of dust. Government officials and policemen on duty nearby stopped for a brief while to see him shedding tears of joy.
“Even a week ago, I was thinking that I would die in Rajasthan,” said Shaw. “I never thought I would make it to my village again. We were initially hopeful of somehow managing, but as the days passed and money and food started running out, I was desperate to come back home,” he added, tears streaming down his face.
For the pilgrims, who had gone to Ajmer to attend the Urs festival, and got stranded, too, homecoming was a huge relief. “We did not have any money left. But the Dargah committee and Anjuman Committee members took care of us all these days. They even paid for our tickets,” said Nurjahan Bibi, a resident of Kalna, East Burdwan.
“These committees came forward to help the pilgrims who got stranded. They even donated to make arrangements for their return to Bengal,” said Arvind Kumar Sengva, the Rajasthan government official who supervised the pilgrims’ return.
Tuesday’s returnees on the first special train to Bengal slowly walked towards the other end of the platform, where state government officials arranged for their screening. West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) managing director RVS Kapoor, South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) MD Godala Kiran Kumar and assistant district collector Reba Zamil were waiting to receive them. Social-distancing marks were already made on the platform for the process of “roll call” — to assess the destination and number of buses required for sending them home. Finally, 80 buses were organised.
“They were screened there and sent back to their homes, where they will again be screened before entering their villages. Everyone will be asked to undergo a mandatory 14-day home quarantine, if none of them display Covid-19 symptoms,” said Humayun Kabir, commissioner, Chandannagar Commissionerate.
A total of 164 workers from South 24 Parganas were sent back home in more than 20 buses. “It is going to be a long process. There are around 9,384 workers from the district who are stuck in other states, and we are arranging for their return,” said P Ulganathan, district magistrate, South 24 Parganas.
Sanjay Shaw, a resident of Kakinada in North 24 Parganas, who had moved to Rajasthan to work as a mason 10 years ago, could not hide his feelings. He got down from his compartment and touched the platform with his palms, picking up a few grains of dust. Government officials and policemen on duty nearby stopped for a brief while to see him shedding tears of joy.
“Even a week ago, I was thinking that I would die in Rajasthan,” said Shaw. “I never thought I would make it to my village again. We were initially hopeful of somehow managing, but as the days passed and money and food started running out, I was desperate to come back home,” he added, tears streaming down his face.
For the pilgrims, who had gone to Ajmer to attend the Urs festival, and got stranded, too, homecoming was a huge relief. “We did not have any money left. But the Dargah committee and Anjuman Committee members took care of us all these days. They even paid for our tickets,” said Nurjahan Bibi, a resident of Kalna, East Burdwan.
“These committees came forward to help the pilgrims who got stranded. They even donated to make arrangements for their return to Bengal,” said Arvind Kumar Sengva, the Rajasthan government official who supervised the pilgrims’ return.
Tuesday’s returnees on the first special train to Bengal slowly walked towards the other end of the platform, where state government officials arranged for their screening. West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) managing director RVS Kapoor, South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) MD Godala Kiran Kumar and assistant district collector Reba Zamil were waiting to receive them. Social-distancing marks were already made on the platform for the process of “roll call” — to assess the destination and number of buses required for sending them home. Finally, 80 buses were organised.
“They were screened there and sent back to their homes, where they will again be screened before entering their villages. Everyone will be asked to undergo a mandatory 14-day home quarantine, if none of them display Covid-19 symptoms,” said Humayun Kabir, commissioner, Chandannagar Commissionerate.
A total of 164 workers from South 24 Parganas were sent back home in more than 20 buses. “It is going to be a long process. There are around 9,384 workers from the district who are stuck in other states, and we are arranging for their return,” said P Ulganathan, district magistrate, South 24 Parganas.
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