Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has assured the stranded migrant workers in the state that they will be sent to their respective home states within a week and the government has been taking necessary steps to repatriate them.

His statement has come at a high time when the migrant workers in Chennai and state have been protesting to demand the state government for sooner repatriation. The Chief Minister has instructed them to remain in their camps and temporary shelters until they get their turn to return to their home states.

In a statement that was released on Monday, the Chief Minister said that the state has sent over 9,000 migrant workers so far on eight trains. They have been repatriated to their home states based on their requests and acceptance from the state governments of their respective home states. According to the reports, about five special trains have department from Tamil Nadu on Friday and Saturday and carried about 7000 workers to various parts of the country amid the lockdown. 

The first Shramik special train from Chennai had left for Jagannathpur in Odisha on Saturday night. The special train was departed from Dr. MGR Chennai central station at 9.55 pm and carried 1,038 migrant workers to Odisha and they had undergone screening before the departure. During the same time on Saturday, another special train had left from Katpadi, Vellore to Danapur in Bihar. 

The reports stated that this train from Katpadi had carried 1,126 migrant workers and earlier on Saturday, another Shramik train had departed for Akbarpur in Uttar Pradesh from Coimbatore station with 1,140 workers on board. On Friday night, Tamil Nadu has flagged two special trains to repatriate the migrant workers to their home states. 

Two special trains - one from Coimbatore to Saharsa in Bihar had carried 1,140 passengers while the other one which left to Hatia in Jharkhand from Katpadi, Vellore had carried 1,230 passengers. This repatriation drive has come after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had permitted the inter-state movement of the stranded migrant workers, tourists, and others across the country. On Monday -May 11, another Shramik special train had departed Katpadi, Vellore to Howrah, West Bengal and it carries 1,126 passengers on board.

Shramik Special train departed from Katpadi to Howrah (WB) at 12:00 hrs on 11-5-20 carrying 1126 passengers registered and nominated by Govt of TN. Thermal screening of passengers done and social distancing ensured while boarding and on board. pic.twitter.com/9vC3yphSJo

— @GMSouthernrailway (@GMSRailway) May 11, 2020

On Saturday, the Tamil Nadu government said that it would take care of the travel expenses of the migrant laborers who are being repatriated to their homes. Last week, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami said that the state has been housing more than 50,000 migrant workers and they will be sent to their home states gradually.