India announced its COVID-19 lockdown on 24 March 2020 with a few hours' notice. Migrant workers who lost income began walking home; buses were allowed on 29 A…
The Prime Minister announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown in a televised address. It took effect from midnight and public transport stopped within hours.
Thousands tried to board buses at Delhi's Anand Vihar terminal after buses were announced. The Home Ministry later blamed misinformation, a view The Wire disputed.
States were told to set up shelters with food, employers to pay wages without deduction and landlords to defer rent for a month.
The government said 21,486 camps sheltered 6,75,133 people and about 25 lakh were given meals. These are government-reported figures for that date.
After the lockdown was extended, a crowd of an estimated 1,000 to 3,000 workers gathered near Bandra station. Police dispersed them with force.
Trains began on 1 May, 38 days after the announcement. More than 4,600 trains carried over 63 lakh people, according to parliamentary replies.
Free foodgrains for about 8 crore migrants without ration cards for two months, costing Rs 3,500 crore, and portable ration cards.
It took suo motu cognisance on 26 May, ordered no fares on 28 May and gave states 15 days to arrange transport on 9 June.
1.04 crore workers returned and 97 deaths on Shramik trains were reported, but ministries said they kept no separate data on migrant road deaths.
A portal to register unorganised workers, dry ration schemes, One Nation One Ration Card and community kitchens, with dated deadlines.
Read the complete story, FAQs and key facts.