Migrants gathered near Ripon Buildings on Saturday and Sunday to request officials for transportation to reach their homes in other States.
The Greater Chennai Corporation has already helped 1.35 lakh migrants reach their homes in Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Nagaland, and Punjab. The civic body, police and other line agencies have assisted in the operation of 100 ‘Shramik Specials’ so far, with the government paying the rail fare.
For a fortnight, there were no trains from Chennai as they were stopped on June 23 and only resumed on July 8. However, just three trains have been operated till July 9. Police personnel had to help disperse migrant workers after they gathered near the Ripon Buildings over the weekend. Some said they had applied online and waited for two months to catch a train back home.
‘Help on the way’
Corporation Deputy Commissioner (Revenue and Finance) Meghanatha Reddy said officials have started identifying migrant labourers who visited Ripon Buildings to help them.
“We have provided shelter for 60 persons. We will make arrangements to send them home in buses or trains,” he said.
Volunteers helped supply food, ration kits and snacks to the migrant labourers ahead of their journey. “The volunteers helped a great deal. A few migrant workers, who came to the Central railway station hoping for a train, came to the Ripon Buildings to enquire about services,” Mr. Reddy said.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
To get full access, please subscribe.
Already have an account ? Sign in
Show Less Plan
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper ,crossword, iPhone, iPad mobile applications and print. Our plans enhance your reading experience.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
