Punjab CM seeks special trains to ferry 6.44 lakh migrant workers

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh urged the central government to arrange special trains to transport stuck migrant labourers to their homes states. More than 6.44 lakh migrant workers wanting to go back had successfully registered on the state government's specially created portal.

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to seek his personal intervention to arrange for special trains for the next 10-15 days, beginning May 5, to transport stuck migrant labourers to their homes states.

The Chief Minister urged Shah to direct the Ministry of Railways to make suitable arrangements since the migrant labourers stranded in Punjab due to the nationwide lockdown were "understandably restless to return to their native places".

The Chief Minister's request came as the more than 6.44 lakh migrant workers wanting to go back had successfully registered on the state government's specially created portal.

In his letter, Amarinder Singh said his government would indicate its daily requirement of trains in advance to the Railways for the next 10-15 days to transport all the people registered on the portal.

At the local level, Amarinder Singh said, state officers, are coordinating with railways officers and those of recipient states to plan the smooth movement of the migrants.

The Chief Minister pointed out a large number of labourers arrive seasonally in Punjab from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other eastern states to seek temporary employment in both industrial and agricultural sectors.

These people, who were due to leave in March, normally after Holi, could not leave due to the imposition of the lockdown, he said.

IANS Report