Govt cannot charge migrant workers for fare, food during journey back home: SC

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that migrant workers should not be charged for their journey to return home by bus or train and states should pool railway fare keeping in mind their plight during the nationwide lockdown to contain covid 19. 

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan passed the interim order after hearing a number of petitions seeking appropriate directions to mitigate the migrant labourers' suffering. 

"Food, water to be provided at notified places by the originating state to workers waiting for transport," the Apex Court said in its order. 

Railway should provide meals during journey and states to provide food for migrants in buses, the court said adding that help kiosks should be set up to register stranded migrant workers. 

The Apex Court also sought complete details from the government on the number of stranded migrant workers, plans for their registration and transportation.

Whenever a migrant is found walking on the road they will be taken to the camps at the earliest and help them with facilities, the Apex Court said, and fixed the matter for further hearing on June 5. 

The Apex Court also said that some of the states have not filed any response to our notice. We give some reasonable time to states, union territories and the centre to bring measures taken by them on record. 

When migrants reach their places, issues of food and employment will also be taken up when reports are received, the top court said. (UNI)