NEW DELHI, May 28 - The Supreme Court on Thursday directed that no fare for travel either by train or bus be charged from migrant workers, stranded across the country following the COVID-19 lockdown and want to return to their destinations, and said they be provided food and water.
The apex court, which passed interim directions, said all the migrant workers stranded at various places shall be provided food by concerned states and Union Territories (UTs) at places which shall be publicised and notified to them for the period they are waiting for their turn to board a train or a bus.
A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said that the originating state shall provide meals and water at the station and during the journey, the Railways would provide the same to the migrant workers.
It said that food and water be also provided to them for travel in buses.
The bench, also comprising Justices SK Kaul and MR Shah, directed that states shall oversee the registration of migrant workers and ensure that they are made to board the train or bus at the earliest.
The top court, which heard the matter through video conferencing for around two-and-a-half hours, said that complete information in this regard should be publicised to all concerned.
The court observed that it is presently concerned with the miseries and difficulty faced by the migrant workers who are trying to get to their native places.
It said though there is no doubt that the concerned state governments and UTs are taking steps, several lapses have been noticed in the process of registration, transportation and providing food, water to the migrants.
The bench noted in its order that even after registration for travel, the migrants have to wait for a long time for their turns to come. � PTI
