Mumbai: Every year lakhs of Konkan-based migrants who stay in Mumbai and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) visit their hometown during Ganeshotsav. To cater to their travel demands, the Railways and State Transport (ST) buses also run additional services for commuters. This year, however, due to the lockdown following the outbreak of novel coronavirus, public transportation services have been suspended.
In light of the current situation, the migrants from Konkan area settled in Mumbai, led by the Vasai Sawantwadi Passengers Association, have written to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray urging to start the ST buses and rail services so the annual ritual of visiting their hometown for Ganeshotsav will not be hindered. The annual 11-day Ganpati festival is beginning from August 22 this year.
Shantaram Naik, President of the migrant passengers' association, said, "Considering the sentiments of devotees the government should provide public transportation facility to the sons of soil. Due to lockdown, several people have lost their jobs and do not have enough money to commute via private vehicle. Therefore, we appeal to the government to start ST buses and railway service for the people of Konkan."
The association in its letter stated that every year the number of migrants visiting Konkan is in lakhs, however, this year the numbers might hardly be in thousands considering the COVID pandemic. They requested the government to arrange some Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and provide public transport facilities during the festival.
The letter also suggested a few recommendations on the guidelines that should be implemented while allowing Konkan-based migrants to commute to their hometown. They said that those who wish to visit their villages should be made to undergo a swab test and only then should they be allowed to take ST buses from the depots. Other recommendations include availability of free e-passes, and reservations should be made mandatory so as to avoid crowd in the buses and trains, among others.
Meanwhile, the association also expressed their anguish over making travel arrangements free of cost or expenses were borne by the government for other state migrants like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar but giving a step-motherly treatment to the sons of soil.
"Despite appealing for trains and bus services for migrants from Konkan, no provision was made for them during the initial phase of lockdown. This has forced many to walk the distance to their villages, or spending surplus money in travelling by selling their ornaments in the critical COVID times, with no jobs in the city for their survival," the letter stated.
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