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Noida’s shelter homes run empty as most migrants manage to take bus home
Noida:
Noida:
As thousands of migrant workers from different parts of the city managed to take a bus home on Sunday amid the nationwide lockdown, none of the 28 shelter homes set up by the Gautam Budh Nagar administration had any takers on Monday.
Officials stated that they tried to persuade a number of migrants to stay in these shelters having facilities of quarantine and free food, but the stranded families simply refused. Only a handful of the migrant workers who couldn’t get a bus home on Saturday or were too tired to walk agreed to stay for a few hours, had food and returned to their journey, the officials said.
The district administration has set up 27 shelter homes with a cumulative capacity to hold 6,050 people till the lockdown is revoked. The exercise started on Saturday when the exodus of migrant workers began.
While a number of shelters were set up on the GT road and in Jewar along the roads towards Khurja and Rampur — used by many migrants — the exodus continued with people preferred going home rather than taking a free stay.
The officials managing different shelters confirmed that the shelters had been deserted, though the facilities were ready to host people since Saturday.
“Currently, there’s no one staying here. So far, only two people who had been walking from Haryana stayed for a few hours on Saturday. Despite several requests, they refused to stay, and left for their village near Khurja after having food,” said Ashok Kharwar, executive officer, Jahangirpur area, who looks after the 100-bed shelter at Janta Inter College, Khurja Road, Jewar.
Robin Singh, another executive officer, also had the same experience. “On late Saturday, about 25 people were brought here by the administration after they failed to get a bus. They were from Sambhal and Mathura districts. They had dinner and spent the night here. However, they left on Sunday morning, even as we insisted that they are better off here,” said Singh who manages a shelter set up in a school at Rabupura, Greater Noida.
Another official managing a shelter at Tappal Road, Jewar, said that a group of 14 people, who were heading towards Atrauly in Aligarh from Faridabad, came here on Sunday. Despite repeated requests, they left after having food and a few hours of rest, the official said.
The administration said that the shelter homes will be maintained and are ready to host anyone in need.
“The Buddh International Circuit is the largest facility that can accommodate 2,000 people, and all the necessary arrangements were completed today only. The entire premises has been sanitised and we look forward to host anyone in need,” said Navneet Goyal, officer on special duty, Yamuna Expressway authority.
There are seven shelter homes in Greater Noida, one along the Yamuna Expressway, six near GT road in Dadri, four in Jewar and 10 across different parts of Noida.
“Our shelter homes were empty on Sunday. However, all the shelters in Noida are ready to work in their full capacity,” said Praveen Mishra, additional chief executive officer, Noida authority, who had been looking after all the shelter homes of Noida.
