UP: Over 2,000 workers arrive from Maharashtra, Gujarat

Over 2,000 migrant workers arrived Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday in two special trains from Maharashtra and Gujarat where they were stranded due to the coronavirus lockdown.

While the train from Maharashtra's Akola brought 1,195 labourers to Lucknow in the morning, 1,115 workers arrived at Gorakhpur around 4 pm from Gujarat's Nadiad.

On Monday, over 3,000 labourers stuck in Maharashtra were brought to Uttar Pradesh in three special trains.

Uttar Pradesh State Roadways Transport Corporation MD Raj Shekhar said 54 buses were deployed to take the Akola workers to districts of Jalaun, Kannauj, Allahabad, Farrukhabad, Kanpur, Gorakhpur and Jaunpur on Tuesday.

Gorakhpur (Sadar) SDM Gaurav Singh Sogarwal said the workers were sent to 29 districts after thermal scanning and verification of documents.

 

A senior official of the roadways corporation in Gorakhpur said 57 UPSRTC buses took them to their destinations.

The workers also seemed relieved after returning to their home state.

Ravi (38), who returned from Nadiad, said he worked at a brick kiln there and belonged to Noorpur village of Hathras district.

After the lockdown, I had no work. I was living on my little savings and it was difficult for me to feed my family. I was depressed. Thankfully, I was left with some money and I was able to return, he said.

"We were served food twice in the train," he added.

Zahir Alam (55) of Kasganj district said he was only bread winner for his family and was worried about them.

I am still not able to believe that I have reached my state. I am very thankful to the government for this train."

Earlier briefing reporters here, Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Information) Awanish Awasthi had said so far, nearly 65,000 labourers and students have been brought to the state or sent to other places.

"Over 10 trains have brought labourers from other states to UP," he said.

Awasthi said UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has told them that in coming days, Indians stranded abroad are likely to return, for which screening and quarantine facilities should be ensured.