CHENNAI: After the Union home ministry issued fresh guidelines for interstate movement to allow stranded migrant labourers, tourists and students to return to their homes, the state is expected to appoint nodal officers to facilitate their movement.
According to official sources, the decision on how to send the workers back will be taken after a high-level meeting wherein the nodal officers pertaining to workers, students or pilgrims of every state will be announced.
"We got the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines last night and we will be working on it," sources told Express. This means there will be a huge movement of workers to their states as huge logistics are required and it is up to the state on how it will transport these workers back to their natives' states.
There are four lakh people from other states and these include migrant workers, pilgrims, students and those doing petty jobs or businesses. It is learnt that the initial focus of the state will be to facilitate the travel of patients from other states who have been caught here.
"We also have one lakh migrant workers living the state-sponsored relief camps," sources added.
Sources said many patients have been stranded in hospitals in Trichy, Vellore and Chennai. "The first task will be to safely send back the patients and also students who were left stranded in the state," sources added.
Besides, the state is also looking at facilitating the return of migrant workers who want to return home. Officials also said most of the migrant workers have considered the state as home.
Confederation of Real estate Developers Association of India Chairman, Tamil Nadu Chapter S Sridharan told Express those migrant workers at construction sites have not been stranded and are taken care off.
"Since we are in touch with the government for work to resume, those living in the sites may resume the work. We may also facilitate the return of those who wish to return," he added.
Meanwhile, Students from Tamil Nadu, who were stranded in Delhi, returned to the state by a bus. They were staying at ITBP Quarantine facility in New Delhi prior to their return to the state.