The Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court on Friday that there is no demand from migrant workers to take special trains to go back to their home towns.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and justice A. A. Sayed was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations (PIL) filed by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions and others.
The PILs raised concerns about the migrant workers who have submitted applications for leaving the State by Shramik Special trains and buses during the lockdown, but have been left in the dark about the status of their applications. The PILs further said that till such time they can board trains and buses to leave for their native places, they have been made to live in cramped and unhygienic shelters, without being provided food and other essential commodities.
In the last hearing, the HC had directed the State to file a report listing the whole procedure that a migrant worker is required to follow in order to be eligible for leaving for their home town.
Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni filed an affidavit on Friday, stating that up to June 1, as many as 822 trains had departed carrying over 11.87 lakh migrant labourers to their home States. He said currently, there is no demand from migrant workers to board Shramik Special trains to go back home.
Additional solicitor general Anil Singh also said whenever there will be a demand from migrants to travel back, the Railways will arrange trains. The court adjourned the matter till July 9.
