Amid coronavirus threat, non-local labourers are arriving in the valley in good numbers by train, triggering apprehensions of poor screening.
These migrant workers arrive in the valley with the onset ofspring and leave the state in late autumn. According to the 2011 census, anestimated six lakh skilled and unskilled migrant labourers from Bihar,Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab are engagedin different vocations in Kashmir.
The migrant labourers come by road up to Banihal. Later theyboard local train to Southern Kashmir, Central Kashmir and Northern Kashmir.
The Central Railway had instructed its personnel tointensively clean coach fittings as they are touched by thousands of passengersevery day. Railways Chief Area Manager, VipinPurohit, said that fumigation incoaches is being done regularly.
“The screening has to be carried out by medicalauthorities,” he said.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sanjeev Verma, said that proper screening of labourers is being carried out.