Panvel cops make migrant registration hassle-free

The Kalamboli police in Panvel are going around with megaphones announcing the train schedule for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.

“This is to ensure that there is no confusion among migrants,” said Satish Gaikwad, senior police inspector, Kalamboli police station.

The police are registering migrants at Sudhagad high school and have made all arrangements for paperwork, including a photo copy machine.

For the police, registration is a tedious process as many can’t fill forms.

A police officer requesting anonymity said, “The registration process is time consuming. Many can’t write their names correctly and some don’t know their mobile numbers. We have to fill most of the forms.”

Arvind Mahto, 40, from Prayagraj, is one of the migrants who will finally go home after a long wait. “A group from my village and I had decided to cycle 1,400 km. One of our friends heard the announcement and we went to Kalamboli. We will board the train soon.”

Since Monday, the Thane police have ferried 12,000 migrants from Thane district in 550 State Transport (ST) buses. On Thursday, state home minister Anil Deshmukh flagged off four buses at Rajnouli junction in Bhiwandi.