First batch of 1,050 migrants leave Delhi for Madhya Pradesh aboard special train

A Delhi government official associated with the operation said the city currently has at least 18,000 migrant workers lodged in 240-odd shelters operated by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).

As many as 1,050 migrant workers, stranded in the city after a national lockdown was announced to curb the spread of Covid-19, left for Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur on Thursday evening on board a special train from New Delhi.

Stranded migrant workers leave from a shelter home to board Delhi's first 'Shramik Express' special train to their native state – Madhya Pradesh during Covid-19 lockdown. (Ajay Aggarwal /HT PHOTO)

These men, women and children were among Delhi’s first batch of stranded workers who left the city for their home state under a government order that allows for inter-state movement of stranded individuals by buses and trains to be arranged by the state governments concerned.

A Delhi government official associated with the operation said the city currently has at least 18,000 migrant workers lodged in 240-odd shelters operated by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), where they share space with other homeless people, and around as many small and large temporary shelter camps run by the district administrations.

“First train carrying 1050 migrants from Delhi left for Chattarpur, MP, today at 8 pm. A series of such trains would be carrying migrants to different parts of India in the coming days,” said Delhi’s revenue and transport minister Kailash Gahlot.

In the next three days, more special trains are expected to depart for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar -- states from which the largest share of stranded migrant workers are in the Capital at this juncture, said a second government official, adding: “The Delhi government has already had discussions with UP and Bihar. Next in line are states such as Jharkhand, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Odisha.”

The second train will most likely leave tomorrow for Bihar, the official said.

Rail operations were suspended completely on March 25, for the first time in history of independent India, and it would continue to remain closed till at least May 17 -- the last day of the third phase of the national lockdown.

The migrants were brought to the station from across Delhi districts in nearly 75 Delhi Transport Corporation’s low-floor buses. Before they boarded the buses, they were all screened for flu-like symptoms. After they reach Madhya Pradesh, they will be screened again and sent into 14-day quarantine. “The protocol is clear on that,” said the official.

“The central government will bear 85% of the ticket price, and the remaining 15% will be taken care of by the home state (Madhya Pradesh). It is being implemented strictly under the rules drafted by the central government,” the senior official said.

Sonu Kumar Singh, 27, one among 1050 passengers on board the special train, said he cannot wait to see his family back in his village in Madhya Pradesh’s Bundelkhand. “My mother is eagerly waiting for me. In my village, we have a small piece of land where I can do farming. At least I will not starve as it happened here in the last few weeks. I often had to sleep on empty stomach,” said Singh while walking inside the New Delhi Railway Station with his bag. Singh, a labourer, had been living in a government-run shelter in southwest Delhi district since March 30.

The platforms, the parking lots, the pedestrian bridges and the concrete entrance area of the New Delhi Railway Station witnessed some semblance of life after more than six weeks when the migrants walked into it along with groups of health officials, civil defence volunteers and the police.

Sanjay Kumar, 51, who was accompanied by his family of six including two grandchildren, said he was relieved to be able to go back home. “There was nothing left here. There was no work, no money and meagre food. Later, if things get normal, I will think of coming back,” said Kumar, a labourer at Paharganj market.

Manish (doesn’t use a second name), 36, said that he was too happy to be going back home. “It had become difficult to survive. It was almost like a punishment to live in the shelter and today, I feel I have been released from a prison,” said Manish, who used to work at a restaurant in Rajouri Garden.

Several government officials have claimed that thousands of workers have decided to stay back after they witnessed partial relaxation of the lockdown norms and revival of in industrial and construction activities this week.

“More than 10,000 people from several states have applied for being sent back to their home states in the last five days. While the DUSIB has submitted a final list pertaining to shelters under them, which has around 700 names, the collective list pertaining to shelters under the district magistrates are getting updated every day. Currently, we have around 10,000 applicants in it,” said the first official.