From Hisar to Bihar: 1,200 workers leave for their home towns

HISAR/ROHTAK: A Shramik Special train, first from Haryana, left Hisar with 1,200 odd migrant labourers for Bihar’s Katihar on Wednesday afternoon.

Heavy police force was deployed to ensure adherence to social-distancing measures and maintenance of law and order at the Hisar railway station.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar reviewed arrangements and interacted with a migrant labourer, Makhan Sharma, telling him that all his travel expenses had been taken care of, including provision of one-time meal.

“If someone had sought money from you for this journey, let me know. We are not charging anything from the people who came to Haryana in search of work. The government is committed to ensuring their safe return,” he said.

“Ghar me sabhi ko mera Ram Ram bolna (Convey my regards to everyone at home),” Khattar told the labourer while signing off. Some local social workers also came forward and provided food, masks and hand sanitisers to the passengers.

BHIWANI-GAYA TRAIN CANCELLED

Another Shramik Special train scheduled to take stranded labourers from Bhiwani on Thursday to Bihar’s Gaya has been cancelled. Bhiwani DC Ajay Kumar said the special train, which was to depart from Bhiwani to Gaya, will be rescheduled soon.

‘WE WILL COME BACK’

Manoj Yadav and Virender Yadav of Madhepura in Bihar said they came to know about the trains from residents of Ladwi, where they had been working. “We were asked to undergo a medical examination. After that, railway officials gave us tickets for which we did not pay any money. We are very happy to return home. We will come back after the pandemic ends,” they said.