Over 3 lakh migrants return to UP in 268 trains

Over three lakh migrants have returned to Uttar Pradesh in 268 special trains so far, the highest in the country, a senior official said on Wednesday.

All migrants are medically screened and given food packets before being sent to home quarantine, Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Awanish Awasthi told reporters.

Of the total 3,26,040 migrants, the maximum of 44,574 returned to Gorakhpur in 43 trains followed by Lucknow (3,3894) in 29 trains, Jaunpur (18,358) in 15 trains, Prayagraj (17,162) in 14 trains, he said.

The special trains also ferried migrants to Bareilly, Pratapgarh, Gonda, Agra, Ballia, Raebareli, Varanasi, Agra and Kanpur.

Besides, the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation has brought back over 72,000 migrants to the state, the additional chief secretary said.

He informed that 188 more special trains carrying migrants from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Goa and Tripura are likely to arrive in UP in the next few days.

At present, trains from other states are arriving in 45 railway stations in UP, he said.

Over four lakh labourers have been brought back systematically in the state, Awasthi added.

To strictly implement the coronavirus lockdown, police have checked 37,28,266 vehicles and seized 39,679 of them, he said, adding that Rs 17.64 crore fine has been realised.