Chandigarh, May 25 - Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal has said that due to the global pandemic of COVID-19, the state government daily runs Special Shramik Trains from the various railway stations of the state to send the migrant workers from Haryana to their home states. In this series, six Special Shramik Trains are being sent from Haryana. Similarly, the labourers of neighbouring states are also being sent to their home states through buses.

He said that so far 2.90 lakh migrant labourers have been sent from Haryana to their home states through 77 Special Shramik Trains and 5,500 buses. In addition, a total of 11,534 persons have returned to Haryana from different states. He said that realizing the difficulties of these migrant labourers the Haryana government has made arrangements to send them to their home states free of cost.

More than 7700 wiling migrant labourers boarded five Special Shramik Trains which left from Ambala, Faridabad, Panipat and Gurugram for their home states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Manipur today. Similarly, a train carrying more than 1300 migrant workers will leave from Kalka late tonight.

He said that despite diversity, we are citizens of the same country and with this sentiment and thought Haryana Government has started sending labourers stranded in lockdown and labourers who were willing to return to their home states free of cost. The Chief Minister said that all Indians living in any part of the country are one and it is the responsibility of all of us as Indians to alleviate their sufferings, he added.

Today, 1,598 migrant lobourers from Ambala to Muzaffarpur (Bihar) and 1,560 migrant labourers to Barauni (Bihar), 1,570 migrant labourers from Faridabad to Katihar (Bihar), 1,600 labourers from Panipat to Ranchi (Jharkhand) and 1,400 migrant labourers from Gurugram left for Jiribam (Manipur). The train carrying About 1,300 migrant labourers from Kalka will leave later tonight.

Train from Gurugram to Manipur to Jiribam

From Gurugram railway station today, the Special Shramik Train carrying 1,400 migrants left for a place called Jiribam in Manipur. The train left at 6.00 pm. This train will go to Manipur via Guwahati. Before boarding the train their health check up was conducted at the railway station and their hands were sanitized. They were also provided food and water. They were give tickets free of cost as they sat in the train. The district administration provided them with food and water for their home journey. Every migrant has been given a medical fitness certificate after a thorough health check-up. It was ensured also that social distancing norms are followed.

Two trains from Ambala to Muzaffarpur and Barauni in Bihar -

Two Special Shramik Trains left from Ambala Cantonment railway station, today, with 1,598 migrant labourers to Muzaffarpur in Bihar and 1,560 labourers to Barauni. The train going to Muzaffarpur willalso go to other districts of Bihar Darbhanga, Gopalganj, Madhubani, Purnia, West Champaran, East Champaran. Apart from Ambala, the migrant labourers sent to Muzaffarpur are migrants brought from Naraingarh, Mulana, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Jind.

Train from Kalka to Katihar in Bihar

Migrant labourers from Raipur Rani, Ramgarh, Barwala, Sector-15 were brought by 45 buses for Kalka railway station. After this, they will be sent by a train to Katihar. Around 1,300 migrant labourers hailing from Chhapra, Motihari, Gopalganj, Madhubani, Supaul, Siwan, Araria, Purnia, Saharsa, Khagaria, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Patna etc. will be sent by this train to Katihar.

Train from Faridabad to Katihar in Bihar-

Today about 1570 migrant labourers have been sent by train from Faridabad railway station to Katihar (Bihar). So far, more than 300 buses and six trains have been sent from Faridabad to various states and districts across the country to carry migrant labourers to their home states. The train departed today will go to Katihar, Bihar.

Train from Panipat to Ranchi in Jharkhand-

Today about 1600 migrant labourers were sent from Panipat to Ranchi in Jharkhand by Special Shramik train. Migrant labourers from Jind, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Rohtak, Gurugram and Panipat have been sent to Ranchi through this train. All of them were brought to the railway station by the deployed buses from various shelter homes. Today, while sending the migrant labourers by Special Shramik train from Panipat junction, various social organizations of Panipat wished them a happy and safe journey.

Facilities provided to migrant labourers.

Migrant labourers were brought from the shelter homes to the railway station by roadways buses. All necessary arrangements were made before the migrant labourers were sent to their home state. On one hand the railway platform was being frequently cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, on another hand, before boarding the train, the hands of each migrant worker were sanitized and food, water was also provided to them. These migrant labourers have been provided free train tickets as well as other facilities, so that migrant workers do not face any problem on the way. Social distancing of labourers was ensured inside the train compartments.

Happiness on the faces of migrant labourers.

During this time there was an expression of happiness in the migrant labourers as they were heading to their home states. While boarding the train, they were thanking the Haryana government.

At the same time, Rajesh, who was going to Ranchi from Panipat, said that he used to work in thread company but due to the lockdown, work in his company was reduced, so he decided to return to his home state. His wife Gudiya also used to work with him. They told that they would come back to work after the lockdown. Similarly, Prem Pandit, a resident of Periya village in Giridih district of Jharkhand, told that he was going to his home due to Corona virus. The people here have provided food and water at the time of crises. They will always remember the government's arrangement of sending them to their home states.