Migrant labourers who returned to their hometowns in March during the lockdown are now eager to return to Maharasthra to re-join work. Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (Maha-Metro) which is executing metro rail work in Pune has received requests from the labourers to arrange for their return journey.
These labourers are from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and other states.
According to officials around 50 per cent of total 2,800 Maha Metro work force has returned to their hometowns, hampering the work here.
Atul Gadgil, director, Maha-Metro said, “We have got requests from many labourers that they want to re-join work after the break of two months. Due to pandemic they returned to their respective states but now want to return.”
“As train and bus services are not operational, Maha-Metro has written letters to various district administrations in other states mainly Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and other states and requested to make arrangements for these labourers to return in Pune,” said Gadgil.
“Right now we can’t give the exact figures of the labourers who want to return to re-join work,” said Gadgil.
Gadgil said, “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic in India and Maharashtra, many labourers left work in March and returned home. As there is no source of income for them they want to return to work. So they have requested us to make arrangements for their return journey.”
Gadgil said, “We wrote the letters to the district collectors of Bhopal, Vidisha and Raisen and others to permit labourers to travel from their district to Pune.”
Maha-Metro is executing the metro work on two corridors in between Vanaz to Ramwadi and Pimpri to Swargate. Metro would require 7,000 to 8,000 workers for carrying out the work on various corridors. But due to Covid-19 many labourers flew away. Metro is working in hardly 25 per cent labour capacity.