Nearly 3.75 lakh migrant
workers have so far left from Gujarat for their native places in trains, buses and other vehicles since the lockdown restrictions were eased last week, a senior official said on Wednesday.
Besides, 36,000 more migrant workers will leave for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand in 30 trains from Surat, Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Vadodara, among other stations, in Gujarat by Wednesday night, the official said.
Till Tuesday, nearly 47,000 migrant workers left for their home states in 39 special trains, chief minister's secretary Ashwani Kumar said in a video message.
"So far, as many as 3.75 lakh migrant workers have left for their home states from Gujarat in trains, buses and other vehicles," he said.
Thirty more trains -- 18 for Uttar Pradesh, seven for Bihar, three for Odisha, and two for Jharkhand -- each carrying nearly 1,200 workers will leave from Gujarat by Wednesday night, he said.
Kumar claimed that among other states, Gujarat made arrangements for maximum number of trains for migrant workers.
"More trains will run in the coming days. The operation is likely to be completed in 10 to 15 days and will be extended further, if required, until the last labourer willing to return to his home state is sent," he said.
The official appealed to migrants on behalf of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to be patient and support the district administrations.
He also said that the state Cabinet in its meeting on Wednesday decided to make face masks compulsory even in areas falling under green and orange zones for COVID-19.
Gujarat tourism secretary Mamta Verma has been appointed to oversee return of people to the state from abroad through special flights starting May 7, he added.
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