Vijayawada: 1st batch of migrant workers leave for Maharashtra

Vijayawada: It was a delightful and memorable moment for the 1,212 migrant workers from Maharashtra, who were stranded in Krishna district due to the Covid-19 lockdown, as they left for their native place of Chandrapur in Maharashtra in a special train 'Sramik Express' run by the Railways in the early hours of Tuesday.

These migrant workers including women, elderly people and children, had been eagerly waiting to go back to their native places in Maharashtra as the lockdown duration exceeded 40 days.

The Krishna district administration under the supervision of District Collector A Md Imtiaz and Joint collector Dr K Madhavi Latha made special arrangements for the transportation of these migrant workers from A Konduru, Tiruvuru and Gampalagudem mandals to the Rayanapadu railway station in 48 buses.

The migrant workers reached the railway station at midnight and the special train with 24 coaches had left around 4 am.

Nearly 50 workers were seated in each compartment maintaining social distance. Earlier, the officials arranged masks, sanitisers, drinking water bottles and biscuits.

Joint Collector K Madhavi Latha, Sub-collector H M Dhyana Chandra, Additional Superintendent of Police M Sattibabu and other staff from the Revenue and the Police departments were present till the train departed the Rayanapadu Railway station located near Vijayawada.

As Vijayawada was declared as Red Zone, the officials have chosen Rayanapadu as the safe place for boarding the special train.

Earlier, the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra reached an agreement on running a special train for the stranded migrant workers. These migrant workers came to Krishna district to work in the agriculture fields particularly in western Krishna district. Due to lockdown, they were stranded for more than 40 days and finally left for their native place with the elaborate arrangements made by the district administration.

The State government is also giving priority to send the migrant workers to their native places. The delighted workers were emotional when the district officials gave farewell at the railway station. The district administration has arranged food and accommodation to the migrant workers during the lockdown period.

Joint Collector Madhavi Latha said nearly 6,000 migrant workers are in Krishna district and the first batch of workers left the district on Tuesday.