E-Paper
Lack of awareness, confusion posing hurdles in migrants’ return home
Most do not know how to apply on the Punjab helpline portal, while others are unsure of what to do to board a train
Three days after railways started Shramik Special trains to transport migrants from Punjab to their home states amid the Covid-19 lockdown, lack of awareness and tech illiteracy continue to be pose hurdles in their return home.
Nearly 6 lakh migrants from Ludhiana have registered on the Punjab helpline portal. Yet, several do not know how to apply and are consequently visiting the railway station directly to understand how to board a train.
Cops have a hard time filtering out migrants without tickets when they approach the railway station with luggage.
Among them are also those, who have got registered, but haven’t received a text message for date of boarding. Yet, they reach the railway station believing they can catch a train.
KNOW THE PROCESS
The district administration has been shortlisting passengers from the applicants on the portal. The shortlisted passengers are sent two SMSes, one for confirmation of application and another sharing their date of travel.
Only passengers receiving the second SMS need to report to their nearest pick-up point at the time mentioned in the message. From here, a bus will transport them to the Guru Nanak stadium for medical screening, and thereon, they have to walk to the railway station after collecting food from the stadium.
Dani Ram, 43, who hails from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, accompanied his neighbours, who had received the text messages.
“I had also registered to return home and received a confirmation message. But, I have not received the pick-up message, while my neighbours have got them and were taken to the stadium in a bus,” he said.
On their part, deputy commissioner Pradeep Agrawal and commissioner of police Rakesh Agrawal have shared video messages, explaining the process to board the trains.
In the videos, the officials have urged the passengers not to approach the railway station directly.
“Even if 2,500 people have registered for a destination, a train can transport only around 1200 passengers. So, messages are sent on first-come, first-serve basis,” the DC said.
TICKETS TO WRONG DESTINATIONS
There are also incidents where migrants have received tickets for the wrong destination.
Vaseem Ansari, 33, who wants to travel to Moradabad, said he got a ticket for Bareilly, which he realised only after receiving the train ticket on the bus while going to the railway station.
Ansari said he did not know how to apply on the portal, and took somebody’s help. “They must have entered the wrong destination. Now, I will have to apply again and wait for my turn,” he said, adding that several migrants were facing troubles using the mobile application for the portal.
