New Delhi, May 19 (IANS): More than four lakh people have registered at the Delhi government's website for going home, with the city government arranging transport for about 65,000 migrants, the official data said.
Speaking to IANS, an official said a fresh order has been issued by the Delhi government directing for publicizing the weblink https://epass.jantasamavad.org among stranded persons and also counselling the migrants against travelling on foot and walking on railway tracks.
"More than four lakh people have registered at the website for going home. About 65,000 have been sent to their home states since the travel was allowed," the official told IANS on Tuesday.
The official said transport is being arranged for more and more people as more requests are coming each day.
"This is an ongoing process. After we receive a request, we forward it to their home state and after their approval, the demand for a train is forwarded to the Ministry of Railways," the official said.
The order, signed by the Delhi Chief Secretary, said District Magistrates should check around railway stations and ISBTs to ensure that migrants are shifted to the nearest shelter homes in the district by buses arranged by the administration.
"The Delhi Chief Secretary has directed that it has to be ensured that the movement of stranded migrant workers who are willing to go their home states is facilitated and the stranded migrant workers appropriately persuaded and counselled that they should not be walking on road and railway tracks when they can travel in buses, trains," the official said.
The order, according to the official, also said that the information on the arrangements for travel in special buses and Shramik specials should be widely disseminated among migrant workers.
The Chief Secretary, in the order, a copy of which is with IANS, also said that the provision of food and lodging should be made for the migrants and finally district Nodal Officers or additional District Magistrates concerned should make their travel plan state-wise and integrate them with the scheduled trains leaving Delhi.
"Special buses from railway stations, to ferry the passengers arriving by trains to their home, shall be engaged wherever public/personal transport is not available, subject to maintaining proper social distancing norms."
The order said necessary security arrangements should be made by the police at all places in order to facilitate smooth movement of stranded persons.
"State Nodal Officers in coordination with the State/UT specific Nodal Officers and District Nodal Officers shall assess the requirement of additional trains for migrant persons and convey the same to the Ministry of Railways," the order said.
The order came days after the Chief Secretary ordered the officials concerned to ensure that the migrant workers do not walk on roads or railway tracks and should be taken to the nearest shelter facilities, if found doing so.
As per the official data, over 18,000 people were housed in about 340 shelters across the city.
The government has also arranged about 1,900 Food Centres catering to over million beneficiaries daily twice.
Thousands of migrants are stuck at different places away from home due to sudden announcement of the lockdown from March 25.
The workers have started returning to their native villages and hometowns on foot or in overcrowded vehicles, resulting in deaths and fatal accidents.