New Delhi, April 29: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday allowed the movement of migrant workers, tourists, students and other people stranded at various places due to coronavirus lockdown. All the states and union territories have been directed to designate nodal authorities and develop standard protocols for facilitating interstate travel of stranded people. Coronavirus Cases Reach 31,787 in India, Death Toll Rises to 1008 After Biggest Spike in Past 24 Hours.

According to the MHA, all the people who are currently stranded due to shutdown need to be medically screened at source and destination. Only asymptomatic people will be allowed to move. They will be kept in home or institutional quarantine on arrival. 3 Labourers Killed by Speeding Truck in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain After Being Denied Entry into Their Native Village Due to Fear of COVID-19.

MHA's Order:

Buses will be arranged for transporting stranded people. These buses will be sanitised. The Centre asked the state to follow standard social distancing norms while facilitating the movement of people stuck due to COVID-19 lockdown. States or UTs falling on the transit route have also been directed to allow the passage of stranded people. The government asked authorities to encourage such people ti download Arogya Setu App. Migrant Workers Protest In Bandra, Mumbai, Demand They Be Allowed To Travel To Their Native States as COVID-19 Lockdown Gets Extended, Watch Video.

The decision came as a relief to migrant workers, tourists and students stranded at various places due to the lockdown. After the countrywide shutdown was imposed, many state governments, political parties and NGOs are demanding that the Centre should take steps to facilitate the interstate movement of people so that they could reach their homes amid coronavirus lockdown.

The first phase of nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25 till April 14 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in India. It was further increased to May 3 as the number of COVID-19 cases continued to rise. Migrant workers were the most affected as they lost their only source of income. After they were left with no food and shelter, many of these migrant workers started the journey on foot to reach their hometown.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 29, 2020 06:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).