India’s top court says no train, bus fare for stranded migrants

New Delhi: India’s top court has ordered the government to ensure free travel to stranded migrants to their home states by trains and buses.

The court also directed railways to arrange food and water for the migrants as long as they were on the trains.

Thursday’s order from a threejudge bench of Supreme Court was aimed at helping the stranded migrant labourers, whose plight has become a stark image during the ongoing nationwide lockdown to control COVID-19.

The court said migrant workers found walking home should immediately be taken to shelters and provided food and all facilities. The government told the top court that it has sent 9.7 million migrant workers - five million by special trains and 4.7 million through road - home between May 1 and May 27.