Delhi govt converts schools into night shelters to accommodate stranded migrant labourers

The Delhi government has started converting schools in the Ghazipur area into night shelters to accommodate stranded migrant workers amid the lockdown imposed across the country to contain the spread of COVID-19, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday.

The 21-day lockdown imposed from Tuesday midnight has triggered a mass exodus of migrant workers from cities in several states to their villages.

Hundreds of migrant workers belonging to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand have gathered in Ghazipur and nearby areas of the Delhi-UP border.

"We have started converting schools (in Ghazipur) into night shelters. We have made arrangements if they (migrant workers) want to stay at night shelters, Sisodia told reporters.

"Emotionally, they want to go back to their homes. It will not be right if we forcefully stop them," he said.

At the same time, the deputy chief minister appealed to migrant workers to not leave Delhi as sufficient arrangements have been made for them.

"The Delhi government is in position to feed the entire city, he said.

So far, 40 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the national capital.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the number of total COVID-19 cases climbed to 918 in India on Saturday, while the death toll remained at 19.