The migrant workers stranded in Adilabad are making a fervent appeal for Shramik special train to be run between Adilabad and New Delhi to take them home without charging for the ticket. “We have no money with us and the government should provide us this facility,” pleaded the distraught workers who are put up in shelters at various places in the district.
The guidelines of the Union government on inter-State movement of migrant workers issued on April 29 have no provision for free travel by road. “Where are we going to get the money for it,” wondered Irfan Malik, a marble worker from Agra, when he was told to fund for his own ticket.
“The government can run a special train for us because hundreds can be transported at one go and most of the workers in shelters have their home close to the main railway line connecting the south and north. We have been staying here for over a month now,” appealed Keerath Singh of Jhansi and five others in his group who had to face the lockdown just a day after they arrived in Hyderabad to work in a factory.
Adilabad Revenue Divisional Officer S. Satyanarayana, who is the nodal officer for the travel of migrant workers, expressed helplessness when it came to organising free transport. “The guidelines clearly state that either the workers or their State governments have to fund their travel and we only facilitate by issuing passes,” he affirmed.
“Some 3,000 workers of the total of 9,000 who paid for the travel have already left for their home in hired vehicles,” he pointed out. Adilabad Deputy Transport Commissioner Puppala Srinivas disclosed that passes were issued for 33 vehicles until the previous day, which includes four wheelers and buses.
“There is no way that 3,000 people can be accommodated in 33 vehicles,” a local social worker asserted. “Many workers may have been set free from the shelters at the inter-State border to proceed towards their homes on foot,” he said doubting the veracity of the figures.
Meanwhile, there was no demand for passes from the TS Transport department from other districts which comprised former united Adilabad district. There was only one application from Kumram Bheem Asifabad, according to Mr. Srinivas.
Published - May 02, 2020 07:50 pm IST
