Migrants throng clinics to get medical certificates for travel

Hundreds of people, mostly migrantworkers, have been thronging clinics in Mumbai and adjoining areas since the last few days to get medical certificates for obtaining a pass to travel to their native places.A large number of people, mostly migrant workers and also some students, pilgrims and others, are stranded here because of the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.Since the Centre eased restrictions last week and the Railways started operating special trains for migrant workers, they now want to return home at the earliest.But, before being allowed to travel in a train or bus from one state to another, it is mandatory for them to produce before the authorities concerned a medical document certifying that they do not have any symptoms of influenza-like disease.In view of this, hundreds of people have been gathering outside clinics in the city and nearby areas since the last couple of days for their checkup and tests.In the eastern suburbs of Mankhurd, Govandi and Shivaji Nagar, queues of 20 to 30 people each were witnessed on Wednesday outside some clinics of general practitioners, who were charging Rs 100 to Rs 200 per person, claimed some those of those who got the certificates.There were similar scenes outside some clinics at Jogeshwari, Kandivali, Malad, Goregaon and Mira Road in the western suburbs and in neighbouring Thane and Navi Mumbai.Vaibhav Kumar (21), a daily wager who got his checkup done at a clinic in Kamothe area of Navi Mumbai, told PTI that he was trying to return to his native place Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh since the last one month.He is now hopeful of being able to leave from Maharashtra after producing the medical certificate.Kumar said the doctor charged him Rs 100 for the certificate.Rahul Tiwari, working as a watchman at a society in Kalamboli area of Navi Mumbai, said he is happy to have got the medical certificate and hopes to return to his native place Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh.Sunil Nimbalkar, an advocate residing at Airoli in Navi Mumbai, said he was trying to get an e-pass since the last few days to travel to Sangli in Maharashtra.He filled an online form and tagged the medical certificate that he obtained along with it, following which he got the e-pass."The process is easier now. But, it takes quite some time to get the medical certificate due to long queues of people outside clinics," he said.

Migrants throng clinics to get medical certificates for travel

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