Hit by the 21-day lockdown due to coronavirus, thousands of migrant workers from places including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Bihar and even Nepal are stuck-up in various cities as the entire public transport mechanism has come to a screeching halt.
While some have embarked on an unbelievable walking journey, others have ended up choosing clandestine and dangerous modes of travel liked crammed trucks and even milk-tankers to reach their destinations. Sensing the seriousness of the situation, the centre has asked all state governments to provide food, shelter and basic amenities to stranded migrant workers to prevent a nationwide exodus.
In response to state government’s direction, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) in an attempt to mitigate the woes of migrant workers and their families who cannot go to their home towns or workplaces owing to the current lock-down situation across the country, has set up a temporary shelter home for them in the Delta Garden area of Mira Road.
“The building has a capacity to accommodate 1600 persons at a time. However, in case the number rises, another building (S.K. Heights) near the Western Express Highway, having capacity to accommodate additional 400 persons will be used for the purpose,” said Municipal Commissioner Chandrakant Dange. The civic administration will provide stay, bedding, food, water, medicine (if needed) and other basic amenities free of cost.
Meanwhile, a total of 590 people in the twin-city with a travel history abroad had been under home quarantine out of which more than 216 have completed the 14-day period. While 324 people are still under home quarantine, 50 are under observation at the quarantine center in Bhayandar (east). Reports of 15 people whose swab samples had been sent for testing are negative.