1,168 migrants return from Mumbai to Bhopal on train

A special train carrying 1,168 migrant labourers of Madhya Pradesh, stranded because of coronavirus-induced lockdown, reached Habibganj station here on Thursday from Maharahtra's Panvel.

A team of officials led by Bhopal Collector, Tarun Pithode along with more than 35 health workers, including doctors, received them at the station and after intense medical screening they were provided with water and food.

Dhanesh, a labourer in a confectionary unit, said: "I was stuck in Mumbai since last one and a half months and rendered jobless because of lockdown. I will now be able to reach my home, in Sidhi." Dhanesh said he did not have to pay for his ticket. But he was famished as there was no food available throughout the 12-hour journey. All he had was two bottles of water.

Some passengers said they could not get milk for the infants. Those arrived here included the elderly, women, and children. They were later sent to their respective districts in buses.

The migrants are working in different areas and among them, 452 are from Barwani district, one each from Burhanpur, Panna, Rewa and Balaghat, 192 from Dhar, 26 from Jhabua, 10 each from Khandwa and Niwadi, three each from Datia and Vidisha, 24 from Guna, 67 from Shivpuri, six each from Betul and Morena, nine each from from Anuppur and Sheopur, two from Raisen, 16 from Harda, five from Hoshangabad, 45 from Agar Malwa, 17 from Dewas, five each from Neemuch and Damoh, four from Ratlam, 80 from Chhattarpur, 78 from Shahdol, 54 from Umaria, and 36 from Sidhi, the officials said.

On May 2, a special train carrying 347 labourers arrived here from Maharashtra's Nashik while another train from Hyderabad with 1,030 migrant workers reached here on Wednesday, the official added. Another train is expected to arrive from New Delhi on Friday.