Travel arrangements being made for migrant workers, says Palaniswami

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Tuesday said arrangements were being made to facilitate the return of migrant workers to their home towns.

He said the government would provide free rations to family cardholders in June as well.

At a meeting with officials, he directed them to handle the issue of migrants seeking to return to their home towns in an organised manner.

“There are nearly 50,000 migrant workers here. Those who wish to go to work [in the wake of the relaxation of the lockdown] can stay here. Those who are keen on going back…you should collect their details at their place of residence and make arrangements for [their] travel,” he said. The collection of such details at their place of stay was necessary to avoid crowding in other locations, he added.

Mr. Palaniswami asked the officials to provide details on travel arrangements to the workers.

“The government would ensure that they are picked up at a specified time and dropped off at the railway station,” he said.

The Chief Minister said he had already discussed with the DGP the need to move the workers from their current locations only after 10 p.m., as transporting them during day time would lead to traffic jams.

“We cannot make arrangements for train trips for everyone at one go. We are doing it in a phased manner,” he said.

Appeal to public

The Chief Minister reiterated his appeal to the people to maintain physical distancing, wash their hands regularly and wear masks to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The large number of COVID-19 cases in Chennai can be attributed to the density of its population, its narrow streets and increased testing, Mr. Palaniswami said.

“We have 52 testing centres in Tamil Nadu and around 12,000 persons are being tested daily. Hence, the number of positive cases has gone up. People need not fear the high numbers,” he said at a meeting of officials of the Greater Chennai Corporation and the police.

Bed capacity

Around 4,000 beds were ready to meet any contingency in Chennai, he said. Apart from a dense population, “public toilets are used by many and the disease spreads through them as well”, he said.

The containment zones in Chennai were being disinfected thrice a day, he said.