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Migrant laborers can return home, Centre allows inter-state movement of stranded people

The central government has, however, refused to run special trains to take them home as demanded by some states such as Maharashtra. They would have to travel in buses.

Bihar, March 30 (ANI): Migrant workers who came from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, wait for the buses of their respective villages, during the nationwide lockdown amid coronavirus pandemic, in Patna on Monday. (ANI Photo)

New Delhi: Giving a huge relief to people stuck in various states, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday allowed movement of such people – including migrant labours, workers, students, tourists and others – and also provided the procedure for the same.

MHA has included a sub-clause regarding the movement of people who are stranded due to lockdown announced last month due to coronavirus outbreak. “Due to lockdown, migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons are stranded at different places. They would be allowed to move as under,” MHA said while asking States to designate nodal authorities to facilitate the process.

“All States/UTs should designate nodal authorities and develop standard protocols for receiving and sending such stranded persons. The nodal authorities shall also register the stranded persons within their States/UTs. In case a group of stranded persons wish to move between one State/UT and another State/UT, the sending and receiving States may consult each other and mutually agree to the movement by road,” read the order.

“The moving person (s) would be screened and those found asymptomatic would be allowed to proceed. Buses shall be used for transport of groups of persons. The buses will be sanitized and shall follow safe social distancing norms in seating. The States/UTs falling on the transit route will allow the passage of such persons to the receiving State/UT,” MHA said in its order of inclusion of movement of stranded people in different places.

With 1,813 new cases, India's COVID-19 tally mounts to 31,787

Laying out the procedure on the arrival at the destination, MHA has asked to keep the people under home quarantine.

“On arrival at their destination, such person(s) would be assessed by the local health authorities, and kept in home quarantine, unless the assessment requires keeping the person(s) in institutional quarantine. They would be kept under watch with periodic health check-ups. For this purpose, such persons may be encouraged to use Aarogya Setu app through which their health status can be monitored and tracked,” MHA said. (ANI)