Migrant movement to Bengal: Only 2 trains so far out of 302

Amidst a war of words over the movement of special trains ferrying stranded workers to West Bengal, railway data shows that the state, which is a source of a sizeable number of migrant population, has so far accepted only two Shramik Special trains, though 302 such trains have run so far.

According to the railways' guidelines for these special trains ferrying migrants back to their native places during the coronavirus lockdown, both the states where the trains will be originating and terminating have to give their acceptance for running them.

Among the states like Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal which are considered the largest source of migrant population in the country, the Trinamool Congress-ruled state has the least number of migrant special trains coming in.

Bihar has accepted 73 trains, 17 trains are still on their way there and 15 more trains have got the nod to be operated to the state.

Uttar Pradesh has brought its migrants in 88 Shramik Special trains, 33 more are on their way and 21 more will begin their journeys in the coming days.

Jharkhand has accepted 13 trains, has three more running and two in the pipeline while Odisha has brought in migrants in 20 trains.

According to figures from2011 census, West Bengal ranks fourth among the states from where people migrate for work and employment.

Between 2001 and 2011, nearly 5.8 lakh people migrated from the state looking for work, which is fewer only than Uttar Pradesh (37.3 lakh), Bihar (22.6 lakh) and Rajasthan (6.6 lakh).

However, the West Bengal government said on Saturday that it has accepted 10 more trains from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Rajasthan and Punjab after Home Minister Amit Shah shot off a letter accusing it of not allowing migrants to return.

"Migrants from West Bengal are eager to reach home, but we are not getting expected support from the state, Shah said in his letter.

The home minister added that West Bengal is not allowing trains.

This is injustice with the migrant labourers. This will create further hardship for them, he added.

The TMC also released a schedule of eight trains which it had planned, including four to be run on Saturday.

The railways has denied that any such trains are in the pipeline.