Apparently what Delhi government allegedly did at the initial phase of lockdown to fight against COVID-19, the same is being followed by Maharashtra government at this stage when a senior IAS officer from Akash Tripathi (IAS:1998:MP) has blamed the Maharashtra government for a chaotic situation and crisis at the MP border. However, the Maharashtra government refuted charges.

It is reported that since May 11 Maharashtra government’s state transport buses are dropping labourers at Bijasan on the MP-Maharashtra border in Barwani district who want to go to various parts of MP, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan. This has led to a surge in the crowd of labourers and their family members coming in trucks, mini trucks, cars, taxis, auto-rickshaws, bikes etc and even walking and riding bicycles since lockdown restrictions were put in place from March 23, to cover hundreds of kilometres.

On his visit to Bijasan on May 15, Commissioner of Indore division Akash Tripathi said, “It’s not our responsibility. Maharashtra should not do this. Also, they are dropping ‘wrong people at the wrong places. People from eastern MP districts like Rewa, Satna etc are also being dropped here. Even eastern UP’s people are being dropped here on the western side. They should be dropped at a further point or they should be sent by trains. What is happening is wrong. But our chief minister has taken this stand on a humanitarian ground that since they are walking long distances we should use our buses to send them up to the UP border.”