Responsibility of states to facilitate migrant workers' travel: MHA

With more reports of migrant workers walking to their native places emerging, the Centre on Friday said it is state governments' responsibility to facilitate their travel to their homes on special trains while asking them to ensure that there is no movement of such labourers on roads.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the Railways is running more than 100 'Shramik (Labourers) Special Trains' daily and is willing to "arrange additional trains" as per requirement.

In a letter to states, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said movement of migrant workers walking on roads, railway tracks and travelling in trucks is still being noticed in different parts of the country.

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He said he had already written a letter on May 11 urging states to counsel migrant labourers who have set on foot and ensure that their train or bus travel is arranged.

"It is now the responsibility of all states and union territories to ensure that movement of stranded migrant workers who are willing to go to their home states is facilitated," he said.

States should widely disseminate the arrangements for travel in special buses or Shramik special trains amongst the migrant workers and persuade them that they should not be walking when they can travel on buses, he said.

"I urge you to ensure that there is no movement of migrant workers walking on roads and railway tracks and the same is facilitated through special buses or 'Shramik' special trains," Bhalla said.