Karnataka government has decided to transport migrant workers free after drawing a flak from Opposition party Congress for charging exorbitant two-way fares.

After lockdown was relaxed, the State government announced ‘one-day, one-way one-time’ travel for migrant workers to reach their homes in the districts. On hearing this, migrant workers rushed to KSRTC bus stand in Bengaluru city on Saturday, but were shocked as they had to pay two-way fare.

Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had to intervene and directed the transport corporation to charge workers only single fare. He directed the Labour Department to bear the rest.

The State government and KSRTC drew criticism for charging exorbitantly. The Opposition Congress stepped in on Saturday and tried to donate ₹1 crore to KSRTC to facilitate free travel. However, the state government on Sunday announced that all migrant workers will be ferried without any fare for three days till Tuesday from BMTC Bus Stand.

Shramik train

On Sunday, as migrants were sent to their respective districts, Indian Railways arranged two trains each to Patna and Bhubaneswar and one to Hatia. The first Shramik special train from Bengaluru city left to Bhubaneswar. The train, with 1,190 people, left Chikbanawara Station in Bengaluru at 9.26 am. The second train left for Patna with nearly 1,200 passengers from Malur railway station at 2.35 pm.

13 new cases

As per the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department’s bulletin, 13 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed on Sunday. With this the state’s total tally of cases is 614 and total death 25.

Of the remaining 295 cases, 292 positive patients are at designated hospitals.

KIMS-Hubli

ICMR-Union Ministry of Health Research has approved KIMS-Hubli hospital and research centre for conducting the clinical trials for Convalescent Plasma Therapy for Covid-19. This will be the second hospital to take up Plasma Therapy after at Bangalore Medical College’s (BMC) Victoria Hospital.

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