Centre allows stranded migrant workers to travel home, sets guidelines

Hyderabad: The ministry of Home affairs (MHA), on 29 April, permitted migrant workers, especially those stranded in different states due to the lockdown, to return to their homes. This comes as a major relief to scores of workers who have been demanding various states to allow them to travel. The MHA has also given nod to students and tourist, who have been stranded to travel.

In an official communication issued on Wednesday, the MHA said, "Due to the lockdown, migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students, and other persons are stranded in different places. They will be allowed to move."

The Centre directed the states and UTs to designate nodal authorities and develop a standard protocol to receive and send the stranded people. "The authorities shall also register the stranded persons within their states. In case of a group who wish to move from one state to another, the sending and receiving states may consult each other and mutually agree to movement by road," it said.

Even while the Centre has permitted the migrant workers to travel, certain rules have been put in place like screening of people. Only those who show no symptoms of COVID-19 will be allowed to travel. Buses will be used to transport them, they will be sanitised, and social distancing norms in seating will be followed. Also, states that fall along the transit route will allow the passage of such persons to the receiving state/UT.

However, on arrival, local health authorities will assess their condition and those entering the state will be kept on home quarantine, unless the assessment requires that the person be kept on institutional (hospital) quarantine. They will be kept under watch and periodic health check-ups will be conducted, the Centre has directed.

The MHA has directed the states to monitor the health of those who travel from one state to another by using the Aarogya Setu app.