Journalism of Courage
Only those without any Covid-19 symptoms will be allowed to travel. They will be screened at departure, and required to wear a “face cover”. (Express photo: pradip Das)
The change in plan to allow trains to ferry migrants home was possibly taken given the extension of lockdown, and as major urban centres remain under considerable restrictions. The government would have found it difficult to contain migrant unrest. In pic: Passengers arrive to board a train from Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh on Friday, May 8, 2020.
Maharashtra and Delhi are among the states from where migrants have decided to undertake the arduous trek home, despite the Shramik Special trains. In pic: Migrants from UP and Bihar walk home from Mumbai.
Shramik Special trains are only allowed to run at two-third capacity and for single runs, which means they are sent back to their originating places empty. In pic: Migrants undergo medical screening at Guru Nanak Dev Stadium in Ludhiana on Friday, May 8, 2020, before boarding Shramik Special trains.
Instead of around 1,600 passengers, each train has been allowed to carry 1,200. Therefore, some migrants have opted instead to start walking home. In pic: Migrant workers outside LTT station in Mumbai on Friday, May 8, 2020.
A top official from the Railways told The Indian Express, “There is no hurry. Maintaining social distancing and health protocol, trains will run every day for the entire period of the lockdown. In pic: Migrant workers outside LTT station in Mumbai on Friday, May 8, 2020.
With no income to take trains or buses, several migrants have chosen to walk home. In pic: Migrants workers on the Mumbai-Pune road near Shedung toll plaza.
Migrants walk towards Katraj from Warje area in Pune after they were reportedly evicted for not paying rent on time.
Migrants vacate their makeshift tent as they leave for their home towns in Chikmagalur, Wednesday, May 6, 2020. (PTI Photo)
In Mangaluru, hundreds of migrants stranded due to the lockdown gathered at the Central Railway Station following a rumour that special trains had been arranged to take them to the native places on Friday, May 8, 2020. (PTI Photo)
With no way home, some migrants travelled from Bihar to Uttarakhand on the roof of a truck.
