1,140 guest workers finally leave from Tirupur to Bihar

The hosiery hub of Tirupur witnessed a slew of protests by migrant workers over the last few days demanding to send them to their hometowns.

The workers, staying in different parts of the district were brought to the railway station since morning in TNSTC and private buses. After COVID-19 tests, the workers boarded the train. Police security was posted at the station anticipating that other migrant workers may also throng it demanding to send them too.

Only those who had registered and hailing from Bihar were called for the journey. Of the 1,140 persons, 45 were students of Sainik School. The train which was scheduled to leave Tirupur at 2 pm left only at 4 30 pm and is likely to reach Bihar on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, as many as 479 people hailing from different parts of Tamil Nadu and working in Maharashtra reached Salem in 16 buses on Saturday night.

They arrived in buses arranged by the Maharashtra government. “The workers were brought to Karuppur Government Engineering College in Salem district, where they were provided with food and essentials. Then, the workers were sent in 12 TNSTC buses arranged by the district administration to different districts across the state,” said Salem Collector C Raman.

The workers hailed from several districts, including Erode, Coimbatore, Tirupur, The Nilgiris, Dindugul, Madurai Tiruchy, Theni, Namakkal and Tiruvannamalai.

“The workers were sent to their hometowns after informing those district administrations regarding their arrival. Of the 479 people, 27 workers were natives of Salem district, for whom swab tests were taken. If the tests results are negative, they will be sent to be under home quarantine. Until then arrangements have been made for them to stay in the college itself,” said the Collector.

In its return journey on the 16 buses around 173 workers from Maharashtra from Salem district, left to their home state. Already, the first batch of 508 workers from TN and working in Maharashtra reached Salem by 30 buses on April 6. Also, 49 workers from Salem, who returned from Maharashtra by train to Tiruchy, reached Salem by bus and have been put up in the same college premises.