Over 2,500 migrant workers had to return disappointed on Thursday afternoon after two Uttar Pradesh-bound trains were cancelled at the last minute. The workers, who live in slums in northern suburbs, had gathered at a ground in Mahavir Nagar, Kandivali West at 12 pm on Thursday. They were to board three Shramik Special trains to Uttar Pradesh at Borivali railway station in the afternoon. However, just as they were to board BEST buses to head to the station, the Railways informed the police that trains to Gorakhpur and Jaunpur had been cancelled. “We had no option but to hold back the passengers, arrange for food and water and send them back after they had eaten,” said Dilip Sawant, additional commissioner of police, North region. The police said they were yet to receive information on the rescheduling of the two trains. Another 1,000 workers who were to board an evening train to Pratapgarh were later taken to Borivali station as scheduled, said Sawant.
