Lockdown: MP brings back over 20,000 stranded migrant workers

Bhopal, Apr 30 () The Madhya Pradesh government onThursday said it had brought back over 20,000 migrantlabourers, who were stranded in other states amid the COVID-19lockdown.

Additional chief secretary I C P Keshari, who is in-charge of the state control room, said at least 20,000 migrantlabourers, who were stranded in other states, were broughtback to Madhya Pradesh so far.

Labourers travelling in 200 buses from Rajasthan'sJaisalmer, Nagaur, Jodhpur and Jaipur cities had reachedNeemuch, Agar-Malwa, Sheopur and Guna entry points in MadhyaPradesh, he said.

These migrant workers will be sent to their homedistricts after they undergo a health check-up, he said.

As many as 500 people were brought back from Gujaraton Wednesday, the senior official said.

Apart from this, at least 2,000 to 3,000 labourerswere reaching the state borders on foot every day, he said,adding that 3,000 labourers from Rajasthan, who were stuck inMadhya Pradesh, have been sent back to their home state.

Keshari went on to say that 30,000 labourers strandedin various districts of the state were sent back to theirhometowns in the last five days.

At least 7,000 labourers from Rajasthan and 3,000from Uttar Pradesh will be brought back on Thursday, whilearrangements were being made to bring back 1,600 workers fromGoa, the official said.

Meanwhile, labourers expressed their happiness onreturning home after remaining stranded in other states duringthe lockdown.

Bishnu Bai, who travelled with 18 of his familymembers to Naya Gaon border between Madhya Pradesh andRajasthan earlier this week, said, "We had gone to Jaisalmer(Rajasthan) for work and we are now relieved to return to ourvillage in Ujjain district."

Arvind, a resident of Damoh district, travelled fromAurangabad in Maharashtra and reached Harda district on foot.

"I work in Aurangabad, but was stranded there becauseof the lockdown. I managed to reach Harda on foot and thelocal administration arranged for my food and stay," saidArvind, who will undergo a health check-up before being senthome.

Earlier on Tuesday, the state government had broughtback about 1,350 labourers from Haryana to Gwalior by bus. ADU MASARU ARU