Migrant workers from Odisha living in Coimbatore are left stranded and clueless, as their travel plans to their State from Coimbatore railway station was disrupted at the last minutes, after mandatory COVID tests were urged by their government.
Coimbatore: Migrant workers from Odisha living in Coimbatore are left stranded and clueless, as their travel plans to their State from Coimbatore railway station was disrupted at the last minutes, after mandatory COVID tests were urged by their government.
Following the coronavirus pandemic, curfew has been issued across the country and transport has come to a total standstill. In a recent announcement, the central government notified of permitting workers from Northern States living in other States to travel to their respective home towns.
The orders brought a huge sigh of relief among the migrant workers living in Coimbatore who are predominantly from UP, Bihar and Odisha. Repeated requests were made by them for the last four days to make travel arrangements for their return.
The migrant workers from Odisha -- 400 people in the North Taluk of Coimbatore, 450 living in Sulur and 290 in Annur, a total of 1140 were informed that arrangements have been made for them to travel to their hometown through train that will depart at 11 PM on Thursday from Coimbatore railway station.
With high hopes to meet their families in Odisha, they arrived to Coimbatore railway station on Thursday, with their luggages and food for packets for their travel.
Shattering their plans, the officials informed that following strict orders from Odisha government, travel can be initiated only after conducting COVID tests. Clueless on the next move, the distressed migrant workers have queued up at the railway station and the South Taluk Office.
With the train scheduled to depart at 11 PM yesterday, the postponement of travel plans has left them in immense stress and fear of being detained in Coimbatore.
Clarifying on the incident, District Collector K Rajamani, said, "Odisha High Court today has issued a directive stating that people of Orissa coming from other States should be sent back, only after conducting Coronavirus tests.
Following this, all 1140 Orissa people living in Coimbatore district who were supposed to commence their travel yesterday, had to be sent back."
The Collector added that despite all efforts by the Coimbatore district administration to send the migrant workers of Odisha back to their home town, the orders from the Odisha State urging mandatory COVID tests for all, has delayed the process.