MUMBAI: Migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka have to wait longer in Maharashtra because their respective states have put stringent terms and conditions on their travel.
Bhushan Gagrani, in-charge of the war room for Covid-19 in Maharashtra, confirmed the same.
"They told us unless and until the COVID-19 test was carried out, the migrants should not be sent to their home states. Therefore, Maharashtra government has decided to send the other states migrants except for those from these three states," Gagrani said.
Maharashtra minority minister Nawab Malik also said that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had refused to take back migrants from his state.
The Maharashtra government says it has agreed to do a primary health check but can't go beyond that.
"This is crisis time. We cannot fulfil all terms and conditions set by UP. Bihar, Rajasthan and Madya Pradesh government are ready to take their people so very soon the trains will be started for them," Malik said.
Former Home Secretary GK Pillai said better planning could have avoided all this.
"If advance notices were given to the states and migrants before the lockdown, it would have not led to this mismanagement. It is a big problem. Practical problems were not taken into account while issuing orders. Common policy in consultation with the states would have avoided problems. For instance, whether testing of migrants is to be done in their residing states or their home states, it should have been specified," he noted.