Migrant workers trying to return to their native places after Maharashtra imposes Section 144

After Maharashtra imposed Section 144 across the state, migrants labourers were seen gathered at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai's Kurla to board the trains to their native places. These migrants were mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand who came here to earn their livelihood. They are anxious about the lockdown and willing to go back to their native places as they have nothing to do here.

"We do not have work to do. Everything here is closed due to the restrictions. But we are not getting tickets to go back and police are not allowing us inside the station without tickets," a migrants worker told ANI. People are hardly getting tickets due to heavy rush at the terminus.

"I was working in Saki Naka but my shopowner has asked me to take leave as there was no work. Earlier also I was stuck in lockdown and it seems that I am stuck here once again as I did not get ticket to go back yet," another migrant worker from Lucknow said. The Railway administration, including Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and local police, however, managed to control the crowd in coordination with ticket checking staff and only valid ticket holders were allowed to enter the station.

According to the Railway Administration, some people tried to enter the railway station with fake stickers and false identity cards but Railway and police staff stopped them from entering the station and boarding trains by checking their tickets and ID cards before their entry to terminus building. Due to a sharp rise in COVID cases, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday imposed Section 144 in the state from April 14 till May 1. The curbs will strictly adhere between 8 pm to 7 am.

The guidelines said cinema halls, theatres, auditoriums, amusement parks, gyms, sports complexes will remain closed till Section 144 is imposed in the state. Local train and bus services will be allowed for essential services only and hotels and restaurants will allow only take-away home deliveries. Petrol pumps, financial institutions associated with SEBI, and construction work will continue.