Centre tells SC since May 1-27 have run 3700 Shramik trains, transported 91lakh migrants


PTI | New Delhi | Updated: 28-05-2020 21:57 IST | Created: 28-05-2020 21:09 IST
Centre tells SC since May 1-27 have run 3700 Shramik trains, transported 91lakh migrants
Representative image Image Credit: ANI
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The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that since May 1 to May 7 it has run 3700 Shramik Special trains and transported approximately lakh migrants to different States. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M R Shah was told by Centre that by 3700 trains, migrants were shifted to States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh besides transporting them within the state and neighbouring states through buses.

“Over and above the 50 lakhs migrant workers shifted through Special Shramik Trains, 41 lakhs migrant workers were taken from their respective places to their desired destination through road transport,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Centre, said. He said that in the process of moving the migrant workers through Special Shramik Trains, the originating States, receiving States and the Railways work in tandem. “It is submitted that in the entire process of shifting the migrants through trains, the originating State (from where migrant workers board for their destination), the receiving State (the State in which the final destination of the migrant worker is situated) and the railway administration work in coordination,” the central government said.

Mehta said that the migrant workers from the originating State are picked up through road transports either from their homes or from their shelter homes and taken to the railway station by the originating State administration. “It is submitted that such migrant workers who reach the railway station for boarding Special Shramik Trains are already screened by the qualified physician and they carry a certificate to that effect, with a view to ensure that, so far as possible, the infection does not travel from urban to the rural areas,” he said, adding that once the migrant worker board the trains, food and water arrangements are made free of cost. Mehta told the bench that so far as food and drinking water is concerned, the State government provides first meal while boarding and during the journey, the Railways provides food as well as drinking water more than once, as required, depending upon the length of journey. “The State Government and railways provide food and water free of cost. So far, the Railways have served 84 Lakh meals and over 1.5 Cr Packaged Drinking Water Bottles (Rail Neer) apart from the services provided by the respective State Governments,” he said.

With regard to fare charged from the migrant workers for their travel, Mehta said that initially it was decided to distribute the tickets to the State Governments, which was done to ensure that the travel of the migrant workers is coordinated through the State Governments. Under that scheme, the Railways would give tickets to the State Government and it was for the State Government to coordinate the distribution and collect the fare and make the payment to railways, he said. “Initially, some State Governments did charge for the tickets and some State Governments did not charge for the tickets till an arrangement was arrived at between the originating State and the receiving State with the coordination of the Central Government. It is submitted that some of the State governments have reimbursed the fare to the migrant workers at their arrival at the destination States,” he added.

He said Uttar Pradesh and Bihar account for more than 80 per cent of the migrant workers and both the States have adopted novel policy which would not only help the migrant workers but would also substantially reduce the risk of spreading of virus. The Solicitor General said that in UP and Bihar when a migrant worker reaches the two States (without paying any money either by way of fare or food or water), the UP Government pays Rs.1000 per person on completion of the quarantine period prescribed by the State, while Bihar government gives Rs 500 per person. He said that most of the State from where more migrant workers wanted to come have gone an extra mile and publicized in media giving wide publicity requesting the migrant workers not to start walking and to wait for their turn in the Special Shramik Trains and some States have actively encouraged migrant workers to register themselves through SMS to get the facilities. “It is submitted that in spite of the above referred system in place and more than approx. 97 per cent to 98 per cent migrant workers using this system, some migrant workers either due to lack of proper information or due to anxiety or in many cases due to local instigation, to leave the urban areas started walking on the road,” he said.

Mehta said that the fundamental object of the decision declaring lockdown was two fold-- to prevent transmission/spread of virus which has caused lakhs of deaths across the globe; and to enhance and strengthen the medical infrastructure of the nation in the meanwhile. He said that respective States and UTs have set up relief camps to provide shelter and food to stranded workers and other needy persons with a view to keep such people off the streets and roads. “As on May 26, 2020, there are a total of 30,467 relief camps run by the State/ UT Governments and 1,141 relief camps are run by various NGOs/Self-help Groups across the length and breadth of the country. It is submitted that the said relief camps house around 10,58,974 (in States) and 76,954 (UTs) persons respectively,” he said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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