Lockdown: Only 46 migrants housed in 200-bed facility in Chandigarh

Despite the facilities provided by the UT administration, most of the migrants still want to go back

At the newly built community centre in Maloya, Chandigarh, which has an intake capacity of over 200 beds, only 46 migrants have been housed so far.

After receiving directions from Union home ministry, the UT administration turned the Maloya community centre into a makeshift shelter for migrant labourers. (Ravi Kumar/HT)

The UT administration had set up a makeshift shelter at the Maloya community centre for interstate migrant labourers after receiving directions from the ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Sunday. The directions came in light of the mass exodus of migrant labourers amid the 21-day lockdown in India to control the spread of coronavirus. Most of the migrants in the Maloya shelter had been working in Ludhiana, Punjab, and Baddi, Himachal Pradesh.

On Monday, 52 migrants were brought in by Chandigarh Police. Rajiv Tewari, the nodal officer appointed by UT administration, said, “Initially, the total number was 52 but 11 were residents of Maloya and Manimajra. After consulting the police, they were sent back to their homes here.”

When this reporter visited the shelter, it was found that despite the facilities provided by the administration, most of the migrants still wanted to go back. Sarvesh Kumar, 17, walked all the way from Una to Chandigarh and was on his way to Sector 43 bus stand when he was caught by police and brought here. “Train kab tak chalu ho jayegi, hum gaon nahin ja payenge kya (When will trains resume, will I never be able to reach my village)?” he asked.

Migrants are served meals three times a day, donated by a local café; basic hygiene products like soap, towels and toothbrushes are arranged by the administration. The facility is sanitised twice. A team of doctors from Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH) in Sector 16 conduct frequent checkups.