Amid coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown, Mamata Banerjee government to pay full train fare of West Bengal migrants

The West Bengal government on Saturday announced that it will pay the full train fare of the migrants of the state coming to West Bengal from other states, amid the coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown. Taking to the micro-blogging site, Twitter, state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the decision and saluted the toil faced by the migrants.

"Saluting the toil faced by our migrant breathen, I am pleased to announce the decision of GoWB to bear the entire cost of movement for our migrant workers by special trains from other states to West Bengal. No migrant will be charged," she tweeted.

In a letter to the railway board, the Chief Secretary Rajiv Sinha said, "I would like to confirm that the entire cost of movement by special trains to West Bengal, of migrants of the state stranded in various parts of the country, shall be borne by the Government of West Bengal."

The letter added, "Instructions may accordingly be issued to the concerned Railway officials that no costs may be claimed from those boarding these Shramik Special Trains, destined for West Bengal, at the station of origin. The trains may accordingly be run as per requisition made by Government of West Bengal."

The Mamata Banerjee-led government on May 14 had said, "Towards our commitment to helping all our people stuck in different parts of the country and who want to return back to Bengal, I am pleased to announce that we have arranged 105 additional special trains. Over the coming days, these special trains will embark from different states for various destinations across Bengal bringing our people back home."

The trains will reach the state from various parts of the country. The last scheduled train to reach West Bengal is on June 15.