At least one lakh stranded migrant labourers, currently out of work and under quarantine in shelters across Tamil Nadu as the State battles COVID-19, will soon be heading home, police sources said on Sunday.
The State government has sought the Southern Railway’s nod for operating dozens of trains, mostly to Jharkhand, Odisha and Bihar. Of the two lakh migrant workers who have registered themselves with the authorities, over one lakh have expressed their desire to go back to their native places, while the rest have opted to stay back, hoping that they could return to work soon as industries resume operations.
Though the State government had made arrangements for food and shelter for the migrants by coordinating with their respective employers across the State, the workers grew restless when the lockdown was extended further on May 3, and they came across media reports of their counterparts in neighbouring States going home on Shramik Special trains.
While the two lakh migrant workers, mostly engaged in the textile, construction, brick kiln and manufacturing industries, had registered themselves with the city/district nodal officers, seeking support, there is no data on an equal number of people, employed in the unorganised sector, particularly restaurants, salons and resorts, since they haven’t contacted the officials yet.
“When a State-wide survey was done a fortnight ago to determine how many migrant workers wanted to go home, many opted to leave as early as possible. Though food was not a problem, they were concerned about their families. In terms of transport, priority is being given to daily-wage workers and those who are really poor,” an official said.
A senior IAS official has been nominated as the nodal officer in each State for the workers belonging to those States (and working in Tamil Nadu) to contact with regard to registration and travel. The railways will arrange trains after getting written consent from both the State of origin and destination.
Additional Chief Secretary Atulya Misra and Additional Director-General of Police (Operations) Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal were coordinating with the District Collectors/Superintendents of Police to monitor the movement of migrant workers, sources said.