Daijiworld media network - Udupi (JD)

Udupi, Apr 29: Around 2,000 migrant workers from Bagalkot were stuck in Udupi and were evacuated after the government officials ordered for making arrangements for the migrant workers to reach their native.

These workers were working in construction sites and various other fields across the district. They were unable to return to their hometown due to the non-availability of transportation. The district administration was looking after all the food and other expenses of these people stuck in Udupi. The first set of around 250 to 300 workers were deported three days earlier.

Masks, sanitizers and hand gloves were arranged for the safety of these passengers. KSRTC Udupi and Kundapur depot provided around 50 odd buses for the evacuation process. They were instructed to maintain social distance during their journey and strictly follow government norms.

The people included infants, children, women and men who worked in various sectors in Udupi.

Food was provided to them for the noon and evening and no halt was given during their entire journey unless for emergency purposes. The KSRTC drivers were instructed to deboard these passengers only in their designated taluk headquarters.

Some drivers complained that the passengers demanded to be dropped at their door steps. "The passengers try to make use of political influence and ask us to drop them till their homes and villages," a driver who wanted to remain anonymous said.

"There are more than 4,000 migrant workers in Udupi taluk itself. Today these buses will drop them to their respective taluks in Bagalkot district only. We have migrants from Koppal, Bengaluru, Mysuru and some other districts," said Pradeep Kurdekar, Tahshildar of Udupi.