Railways to provide trains for migrant workers on states' request: Supreme Court
New Delhi/IBNS: The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled the railways will have to provide trains for migrant workers upon the state governments' requests, drawing a line in the showdown between the Centre and various states over the plight of the country's poor amid lockdown, media reports said.
The railways will have to provide food and water to the migrant workers as long as they are on train.
The top court has also stated the states will have to administer the registration of the migrant workers, who are stranded in different parts of the country, and ensure that they board a bus or train.
It said the states must provide food and water to the stranded migrant workers.
The court further said migrant workers found walking towards their homes on road should immediately be taken to shelters and be provided with food and all necessary facilities.
The apex court said the train or bus fares must be shared by the states.
Earlier a huge controversy had erupted after the railways had allegedly charged the fares of train tickets from migrant workers.
After the political debates had taken the centre stage, the central government had issued a clarification stating 85 per cent of the fares will be paid by the Centre leaving the rest for the respective states.
Maharashtra, the worst affected state in Coronavirus, since last week locked its horns with the Centre accusing the railways of not providing sufficient trains, a claim rejected by the Centre.
On the other hand, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the Indian Railways of "evacuating Maharashtra and spreading Corona to Bengal" by sending special trains for migrants workers to the state without prior notice.
She slammed the Indian Railways for playing politics with both the states and sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Since the commencement of the massive anti-Covid-19 lockdown on Mar 24 midnight, the sorrowful images of stranded migrant workers walking on road in a bid to reach their homes have been flashing on television screens almost every alternate day.
In a heartbreaking video which went viral a day ago, a child was seen trying to wake his dead mother on a railway platform.
The video had triggered emotions on social media leading the Opposition to accuse the central government of imposing an "unplanned lockdown."
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