Delhi government's spending on train fare stands at over Rs 2 crore so far

Delhi government has spent more than `2 crore on train fare for sending 30,000 migrants back home in three states since the central government allowed their movement.

(Image used for representative purposes) The first train arrives at Bengaluru’s KSR Railway Station with passengers from New Delhi on Thursday | meghana Sastry

NEW DELHI: Delhi government has spent more than Rs 2 crore on train fare for sending 30,000 migrants back home in three states since the central government allowed their movement. According to a senior officer involved in the transportation of stranded people, this amount was just to transfer approximately 30,000 migrants till Friday. Delhi government has sent migrants back home to Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The MP government has paid for the travel of their residents.

Soon after the central government granted permission regarding movement of stranded people like migrant workers, tourists, students between states, the Delhi government started the gigantic exercise by conducting a survey in shelters. Following the guidelines by the Ministry of Home Affairs, a detailed Standard Operating Procedure was formulated. Later on, Delhi government also started an online registration process through Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) which recorded around 85,000 more applications.

Migrants try to board a truck at Ghazipur as they look to head back home | PARVEEN NEGI

Officials said that currently scrutiny of the applications is going on for any duplication and other discrepancies. For many migrant workers, the online system still remains a pain. This has been observed by the government and it has recently requested the Delhi police to assist migrants in online registration. “Out of the total applications that we have got till now, 80 per cent people are residents of Bihar. Delhi government is paying for most trains, however some states have come forward to help,” informed the high ranking official.

Delhi government is yet to calculate the total cost incurred which includes food arrangements, bus fare and others. As per the SOP, all travelers are being screened before they leave their shelter homes but testing is done by the state where they return to. A controversy broke out between Bihar and Delhi regarding travel fare payment of migrant labourers, after which labour minister Gopal Rai stated that AAP government has no problem in paying the train fare amount, although it is the duty of the native state government.