BHUBANESWAR: With more than one lakh migrant workers set to return to Odisha during the next few weeks, the infrastructure made ready by the State Government to deal with the situation is likely to come under severe strain.
Four Shramik Special trains on Sunday reached Odisha carrying nearly 5,000 returnees who will be immediately quarantined after reaching their destinations. Out of the four trains, two were from Ahmedabad to Khurda, one was from Mumbai to Titlagarh and another one was from Surat to Jagannathpur.
Official sources said four more trains will leave from different states to Odisha on Monday. Three trains will leave from Surat to Jagannathpur while one train will be from Andhra Pradesh to Titlagarh.However, migrants from Surat have demanded that the number of special trains should be increased to bring all the stranded workers to Odisha.
Sources maintained that around 85 special trains will be required to accommodate all the migrant workers who want to return to their homes in Odisha from Surat. However, if the State Government allows running of only one or two trains, it will take more than two months to bring back all the migrants home.
Meanwhile, chief spokesperson of Odisha Government on Covid-19 Subroto Bagchi said 3,193 Odia people have returned on Sunday. So far, 55,916 stranded Odias have returned to Odisha by trains, buses and other vehicles. He said 14,513 temporary health centres with 5,81,462 beds have been readied in 6,798 gram panchayats to provide Covid-19 health services to the returnees.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Ganeswar Behera has requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to ensure accommodation of stranded migrants from Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore districts in Odisha-bound Shramik Express from Surat.