The Centre has asked States to ensure that migrant workers don't have to walk back home as the Government of India is running buses and over 100 Shramik Special trains daily to facilitate their journey.

Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has written to Chief Secretaries of States that people need to be made aware about these arrangements and counselled by States to not travel on foot. He said, states should ensure that such workers are taken to nearby shelters and provided food and water till they boarded the buses or trains. The Home Secretary said, the Railways will run more special trains for the purpose as per requirement.

Meanwhile,The second phase of Vande Bharat Mission is being launched from today to 22nd of this month. In this phase, Indians from 31 countries will be brought back. In all, 149 flights including feeder flights will be deployed. Additional 18 countries have been covered under the second phase. These include Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Canada, Japan, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Georgia, Tajikistan and Armenia. Till now, over one lakh 88 thousand Indian nationals have registered for return on the portal.

The second week of Vande Bharat Mission will be both more extensive and exhaustive. The priority is being given for travel from abroad to compelling cases in distress, including migrant workers who have been laid off. People faced with expiry of short term visas, those with medical emergency, pregnant women and elderly are also being given priority. The cost of travel will be borne by travellers. The first phase of operation under Vande Bharat Mission began on 7th of this month. Under it, a detailed plan was chalked out to bring back around 15 thousand stranded Indian nationals due to COVID-19 outbreak from 12 countries.

Under the Mission, Ministry of Civil Aviation is coordinating with Ministry of External Affairs and State Governments for bringing Indians back to their homeland.