The Rajasthan Government has ensured that its residents from states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra and Gujarat would reach home without a long walk. Buses of the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) would be used to send these migrant labourers to their homes. The buses from depots in districts close to inter-state borders would be deployed at check points. They would also be used to transport migrant population moving within the state to their home districts. The buses will be sanitized for the purpose. Depots have been told to keep sanitized buses ready for movement at all times.
In the districts that are on the border with other states, the RSRTC buses will be deployed at inter-state check points where people will be picked up. Separate buses would be sent to different districts. In case of long distances, a relay system would be deployed.
Navin Jain Managing Director, RSRTC told FPJ, “The department is on alert in every district. District Collectors and chief managers of the RSRTC depots are coordinating and making arrangements as per local requirements. People will be picked up from inter-border check points and sent to their homes.” “Similarly people moving within the states are also being picked up and transported to their home towns,” added Jain.
Border districts have earmarked check points and people are being picked up from there. Speaking to FPJ, Bharatpur SP Haider Ali Zaidi said, “A check point has been created at Ooncha Nangla for people coming into Rajasthan to Bharatpur from Uttar Pradesh through Agra. Presently 10 buses have been put into service and more sanitized buses are ready to move at any time. We have also made arrangements of food for the people coming in.”
Transport Minister of Rajasthan Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said, “This is for people who have already entered Rajasthan. We will make all possible efforts to ensure that people are off roads at the earliest. I also urge the people to provide food and all possible help to these people who are walking home.”
In another major development Chief Minsiter Ashok Gehlot while addressing a VC of district collectors said that the lockdown has been enforced by the Government of India under NDMA Act to check the spread of coronavirus. People have to stay where they are. For this interstate borders are to be sealed.
In a tweet Gehlot said, ”Have written letter to Chief Ministers of different states requesting them to provide basic facilities of food, shelter and medical care to many persons who belong to Rajasthan and are stuck in their states due to ongoing complete lockdown in the wake of COVID19Pandemic.”
“Our state is also ready to bear the expenditure incurred for the same. Assured them that we are also taking all steps to take due care of all such stranded people of other states,” Gehlot tweeted.
which would strengthen the State Governments in their fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
2/2— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) March 28, 2020
Gehlot also spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the phone and appraised him about the initiatives and efforts being undertaken in the state to deal with the pandemic. Gehlot informed, “Urged the Prime Minister to help the state with an open heart in this time of trouble and the PM has assured me that the Central Government will provide complete cooperation to the state to deal with this pandemic.”
Earlier former Congress President Rahul Gandhi had also tweeted urging Congress workers to help the migrants walking home.
Thousands of migrant labourers living in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra have begun the homeward journey of hundreds of kilometres to Rajasthan on foot. Huge numbers have already crossed borders and entered Rajasthan.