Maha CM expresses grief over death of migrants; announces aid

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackerayon Friday expressed grief over the death of migrant workers from Madhya Pradesh in a train accident in Aurangabad district and announced a financial aid of Rs 5 lakh each to their families.

At least 14 migrant labourers from Madhya Pradesh, who were sleeping on rail tracks, were crushed to death by a goods train near Karmad station in Aurangabad district in the early hours of Friday.

Two other labourers were injured in the accident.

The migrant workers were walking along the rail tracks to reach Bhusawal from Jalna, 40km from Karmad, on way to their villages in Madhya Pradesh. They slept off on the tracks due to exhaustion, an official said.

In a statement, Thackerayexpressed grief over the tragedy and said the aid of Rs 5 lakh to each of the families of the deceased will be given from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

He said the cost of medical treatment of the injured would be borne by his government.

Thackeray said he was in constant touch with the Centre over the issue of running more trains to ferry migrant labourers, stranded due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, to their native places.

"Arrangements will be made soon. Labourers should not lose patience," he said.

After learning about the tragedy, Thackeray spoke to Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta and railway officials to get details about what happened.

These labourers were employed in a steel manufacturing plant in Jalna, a neighbouring district of Aurangabad in central Maharashtra.

Special shramik trains are being operated from different parts of the state to ferry stranded migrant workers to their native places.

Thackeray appealed to migrant workers not to put their lives at risk and stay at shelter camps till travel arrangements are made for them.

"The state government is in constant touch with the Railway ministry . A train will start from Mumbai, too, soon.

I appeal to workers not to put their lives at risk .

"Shelter camps for the stranded workers are being operated by district administration. Arrangements for food and medicine have been made in these camps.

"Don't leave the camps till you are informed about train schedule," Thackeray said in the statement.

PTI