4 trains to run daily from New Delhi, no money to be charged from migrant labourers: UP CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said a decision has been taken to run four trains daily from New Delhi to the state and no money will be charged from migrant labourers for the special trains arranged on the state's request.

The chief minister also asked officials to impose a fine of Rs 100 on those who are not wearing masks or covering their faces.

"The CM has decided that no money will be charged from migrant labourers travelling in trains run on the state's request to the railways. For this, advance payment will be given to the railways. It has also been decided to impose a fine of Rs 100 on those not wearing masks or covering their faces," Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Information, Awanish Kumar Awasthi told reporters here.

"A decision has also been taken to run four trains daily from New Delhi to UP. This might start from Friday. Besides this, trains will also be run from Ghaziabad, Saharanpur and Noida to send migrant labourers to their homes in UP and other states too," he said.

Awasthi said so far 318 trains have brought 3.84 lakh migrant labourers to UP from other states, while 72,637 people, including students, have been brought by roadways buses.

He said that a total of 67 trains are scheduled to arrive in the state on Thursday.

The maximum number of 49 trains have arrived in Gorakhpur, bringing over 52,000 people, followed by Lucknow where 34 trains have brought back over 40,000 people.

He said that from Gujarat 174 trains have come to the state, while from Punjab and Maharashtra 59 and 51 trains arrived, respectively.

"The data of all those coming is being collected and they will be given work as per their skills in the days to come. Those who are brought after medical tests are being sent to home quarantine with food packets," he said, adding that strict directives have been issued by the chief minister that no migrants should come on foot or use two wheelers.

"The government is committed to bringing them back," he said.

The chief minister, he said, has directed to increase per day testing capacity for COVID-19 to 10,000 and ensure that ventilators available are active and working, and maximum number of medical staff should be given training for it.