MUMBAI: Twenty-five migrant labourers from Rajasthan, who were stranded in Mumbai due to the lockdown, hired a private bus to go to their native places and sought travel permission from the police, which they granted after submission of documents, an official said on Sunday.
The bus carrying these migrants, who work at Metal Market, Dawa Bazar and other commercial places in South Mumbai, left around 5.30 pm on Sunday, the official said.
"They were stuck in the city due to the COVID-19 lockdown. However, after the Centre allowed the movement of stranded migrants, these people approached us with a request to allow them travel to Rajasthan in a bus hired by them. They also submitted their documents," he said.
Before starting the journey, Jalam Singh, one of the passengers who hails from Jalore district in Rajasthan, said, "We are happy that we are finally going to our native place. We had approached the MRA Marg Police Station and sought their nod saying that we have hired a bus for travelling to Rajasthan. We submitted our documents and the police gave permission."
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1), Sangramsinh Nishandar, said, "These migrants had arranged the bus for themselves. It left the CST Junction in the evening. We sanitised the bus and screened the passengers, after which they were allowed to go."