Panaji, May 8 (IANS): Nearly 1,200 migrant workers left Goa by a Shramik Special train for Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior railway station on Friday.

The train, which left the Thivim railway station in North Goa, is expected to reach its destination by Saturday.

"The first Shramik Express train from Goa left for Gwalior (MP) today morning with around 1,200 migrants on it from Thivim railway station," Union Minister of State for AYUSH and North Goa MP Shripad Naik also tweeted.

The migrant workers were driven to the railway station by state transport corporation buses in a convoy, before boarding the train at around 11 a.m.

More than 80,000 migrant workers have registered with the state government for a passage back home, at a time when movement along interstate borders has been severely restricted on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as well as industry leaders have urged the labour force not to migrate back to their home states, claiming Goa is safe and there are plenty of jobs to be availed of. Sawant said that departure of workers in large numbers would severely impact several labour intensive industries, especially construction, in the coastal state.