Migrant labourers in Chennai take to streets, demand transport to go home

Migrant labourers gathered at Velachery, Pozhichalur and Mogappair, demanding that the TN government make arrangements like Telanagna already has.
Migrant workers
Migrant workers
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Migrant labourers resorted to protests in at least three areas in Chennai, namely Velachery, Pozhichalur and Mogappair, demanding that the Tamil Nadu government arrange transportation for them to reach their respective states.

On Saturday, hundreds of migrant labourers were seen marching on the streets of Velachery without following any social distancing norms. They gathered at the Velachery checkpost and shouted slogans, asking the government to send them back to their home states.

However, denying that the labourers went on a march, Guindy Police Station Inspector G Chandru, blamed an alleged fake message for the crowding, and said, “The migrant labourers gathered near the police station due to a hoax message that a train service would ferry them to their native places on May 3. They came to the police station to register themselves for availing the train service. However, we spoke to them and made them understand that the message was a hoax.”

After holding talks, the police officials took down the details of the migrant labourers to prepare a list before dispersing them. Speaking about the list being prepared, the Inspector said, “The Tahsildar was present when the labourers gathered, so we distributed a form to them to collect their details. We don’t have information on the exact number of people residing here as many stay in individual houses.”

Many migrant labourers lost their jobs as soon as the Central government announced a lockdown without any prior notice on March 24. For more than a month, the labourers have been stranded in many parts of the state without any job or source of income.

Meanwhile, the protests by the migrant labourers near Pozhichalur intensified despite the lockdown in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Explaining the reason for the protest, Pallavaram Police Station Inspection Elangovan, said, “The protest took place in Pozhichalur and not Pallavaram as mentioned on social media. The migrant labourers on seeing a WhatsApp message about the Telangana train, demanded that we arrange modes of transport for them.”

The Telangana government sent a train with 1,200 migrants to Jharkhand district on Friday.

On Wednesday, as a big relief to migrant workers, tourists and students stranded across the country, the Central government allowed the movement of people to their home states. Following the order, the Tamil Nadu government launched a website, nonresidenttamil.org, for stranded Tamilians to come back home. Likewise, many states and Union Territories have sped up measures to bring back stranded people to their respective states.

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