Over 15,000 migrant workers returning to Maharashtra daily: Anil Deshmukh

MUMBAI: More than 15,000 migrant workers who had left Maharashtra during lockdown are returning to the state every day as industries have resumed operations in a phased manner, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Thursday.
The lockdown on account of coronavirus outbreak had triggered an exodus of migrant workers from major cities of Maharashtra as industrial activities came to a standstill, rendering them jobless.

"At least 15,500 workers are coming back to Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Raigad and other parts of the state every day," the minister said in a statement.

On average 11,500 workers were returning to Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai daily, while 4,000 to 5,000 labourers were returning to Gondia, Nandurbar, Kolhapur, Nagpur and Pune, he added.

Although fewer trains are running between Maharashtra and the home states of migrant workers at present, the number will go up once industrial activities begin on a larger scale, he said.

"Appropriate precautions will be taken," Deshmukh said, adding that thermal screening of returning workers is being carried out and they are also being home-quarantined to guard against the spread of coronavirus.