Tripura: 1,600 migrant workers to leave for Bihar on May 17

Agartala: Tripura government has decided to send back 1,600 migrant workers to Bihar in a Shramik special train on May 17, said law minister Ratan Lal Nath.

Speaking with reporters, Nath said that the decision was taken by the state government to send back all the migrant labourers who are stranded in the state following the lockdown since March 24.

“A total of 1,600 migrant workers from Bihar engaged in the brick kiln industries will board the Shramik special train on May 17 from Jirania railway station. The destination station for the passengers was decided to be Patna. However, it might be changed later,” Nath said.

He also said that another train to Bihar with 1,600 passengers would leave on May 19 from Belonia. Yet another train for Uttar Pradesh will leave from Agartalao n May 20.

Earlier, a letter issued by Tripura chief secretary Manoj Kumar said that there are more than 33,000 migrant workers and their family members in the state belonging largely to Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and West Bengal.

The letter also cited that as the work season is getting over, they are required to be sent to their native places, largely by train. In this regard, the matter has already been taken up with the Union ministry of home affairs, the states concerned and the Union ministry of railways.

The state government had also constituted a team that would ensure that the orderly transport of migrant workers from Tripura to their respective states.

The team will facilitate and coordinate transfer of migrant workers as per the standard operational procedure (SOP), the letter added.

Speaking further, Nath said that on May 15, a train from Bangalore with Tripura residents would leave at 9 pm carrying 1,400 passengers.

“We have asked the West Bengal government to provide us three trains to bring back our residents but so far no response has been made from their end. The state government has also requested to issue inter-state passes for those who are willing to return by hiring vehicles. A train from Maharashtra is likely to be leave on May 16,” Nath added.

Meanwhile, the state government has spent Rs 2.30 crore in providing financial assistance to 6, 431 stranded persons.

Around 43, 050 persons registered have registered with the state portal, Karnataka having the highest numbers with 15,144 people followed by 9,573 in Tamil Nadu, 6,848 in West Bengal, 1,659 in Assam and 650 in Delhi