New Delhi: Indian Railways will impose a fine of Rs 500 for not wearing a mask at Railway premises and on trains across the country. The rule will be applicable till six months from now, the order mentioned. Notably, there has been a massive passenger rush over the past few weeks at railway stations in Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and other states, dominated by migrant workers. Migrants and daily wage labourers who travel far from home for work have been fearing a lockdown situation like last year where they were forced to walk for hundreds of kilometres with no food and no job.
Earlier today, a video surfaced where passengers in Buxar district Bihar were seen rushing out of a railway station after healthcare workers asked them to undergo a COVID-19 test before leaving the premises. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had informed that people coming by trains will be tested for COVID-19 at the railway stations in the state.
Meanwhile, administration officials across the nation have been playing down the situation, attributing the return of the migrant workers to their personal choice and factors like impending panchayat polls, official sources said the migration has been taking place for the last few days.
A senior Gautam Buddh Nagar official, however, said that migrant workers have been leaving the city in small numbers in the recent days in the apprehension of another lockdown, which could deal a blow to their livelihoods.
India reported its highest-ever single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with over 2.34 lakh new cases and 1,300 deaths in the last 24 hours. India reported its highest-ever single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with over 2.34 lakh new cases and 1,300 deaths in the last 24 hours. The active number of cases stands at 16,79,740, while the total vaccinations across the country have nearly approached the 12-crore mark.