Migrants from West Bengal assemble in Bhyander in hope of returning to hometown
Since the past few days, scores of migrants from West Bengal who are staying in Mira Road and Bhayander, have been assembling at the Jesal Park ground in Bhayander in the hope of getting a seat on a Shramik Special train to Kolkatta.
So far, the migrants have been unlucky to get a train to West Bengal, unlike migrants from the other states. Earlier, the Jesal Park ground, famously knows as Chowpatty, was the assembling point for passengers to board buses to reach Bhayander railway station to board trains to various destinations. Taking this into consideration, migrants from West Bengal have been assembling there in anticipation, said Dhiraj Parab, a social activist.
Parab is among activists and volunteers who, with the help of administration, are alerting migrants not to assemble at the ground until informed through individual SMS alerts.
A Majority of the WB bound migrants are jobless due to the nationwide lockdown since 23 March and are desperate to go back home,said Parab. As Mira-Bhayander is in a containment zone, we have no option but to return home to our native place where at least we can die in front of our relatives rather than meeting a solitary death and then the civic department taking away our bodies and cremating at some desolate place, said Kajal Dutta, a goldsmith expert in polishing gold.
“Applications continue to pour in daily and so far 1,653 people have approached me [over getting on a train to West Bengal] and it may increase to 3,000,” said Rathin Datha a social worker.
“Thane district collector should line up special trains immediately,” said Datha.
Last week, a bus driver in Mira Road had duped nearly 60 migrants of Rs 2 lakh by offering them a ride to their hometown in Kolkata. Thane collectorate office has said no migrant should reach the assembly point unless there is a confirmation from the railways.