Fifteen people, who attended the Tablighi Jamaat conference in New Delhi, returned home on Thursday, said Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao.
Speaking to reporters, he said they reached Tiruchi by train and drove down to Ramanathapuram district. All were screened and advised home quarantine for a fortnight.
Sixty-three people, belonging to Manalur and Melakanniseri villages near Mudukalathur, hired two buses from Kolkata and reached home with a valid e-pass. They were quarantined in an isolation centre at a government college here.
Also, a woman, her son and daughter arrived from Maharashtra by car and were kept in an isolation centre at Parthibanoor.
Migrants leave for home
The district had 3,174 migrant labourers working in various units and madrasas for several years. When officials took stock of those willing to return to their native places, 1,823 registered their names.
In the first phase, 458 persons, including two children, native of Bihar, were seen off in a special train. They would reach Madurai and board another train carrying 1,134 migrant labourers.
The district administration had sent in requests to other State governments seeking their approval to transport the migrant labourers. As and when, they gave the nod, the labourers would be sent home safely.
At the railway station, along with the Collector, DIG of Police (Ramanathapuram Range) Roopesh Kumar Meena and railway officials were present. They supervised the boarding arrangements of all passengers. Ensuring that social distancing was followed, all migrant labourers were given a kit containing food and water.
Some of the workers were seen cheerfully waving their hands towards the officials thanking them for the gesture.