Over 26,000 people with vehicles have left T.N.

After inter-State borders opened, 2,000-odd persons have entered the State

08/05/2020, DENNIS S. JESUDASAN,CHENNAI

Nowhere to go: Migrant workers cycling from Puducherry to their hometown in Odisha. B. Velankanni Raj

Over 26,000 people have left Tamil Nadu and 2,000-odd persons have come into the State ever since the inter-State borders were opened for movement of people using their own vehicles.

Meanwhile, over 54,000 natives of Tamil Nadu stranded abroad have registered for returning to India.

An officer involved in the coordination of movement of people across inter-State borders acknowledged that there were some issues being sorted out with other States, even as the Centre’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) were being followed by Tamil Nadu.

He told The Hindu that e-passes were being issued for either going out of the State or coming in after considering certain aspects regarding whether people were residing in “red zones” and whether they were vulnerable in terms of their age.

Asked about the possibility of special trains for migrant workers, a senior official said: “We were planning for two trains, but since the Odisha High Court has passed an order, we are rescheduling the plan.”

The Odisha High Court had on Thursday directed the Odisha government to ensure that only persons who have tested negative for COVID-19 were allowed to return to the State.

“In light of this order, we may finalise a train for taking migrant workers from Coimbatore to West Bengal,” the official added.