Panaji: The hospitality industry in the state have decided to contribute towards hiring a special train to send back its workers, who are stranded in Goa, to their native in West Bengal, State Port Minister Michael Lobo said.
Lobo told reporters that he will personally be writing to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee requesting her to accept these workers, who are stranded in Goa.
Several hundred workers, mostly employed in the hospitality industry, had gathered outside the residence of Lobo at Parra, near Mapusa town, demanding that they be sent back to their native.
“Shramik Express has not run from Goa to West Bengal or Orissa, that is why, these workers are still stranded in Goa. They want to go back,” Lobo said.
The minister said that the workers are employed in various hotels, beach shacks and other tourism establishments, who are rendered jobless during the lockdown.
Goa is famous for its beaches, which attracts around six million tourists in the state during the tourist season.
Lobo said that since the tourism season is yet to start and lockdown is continuing, the industry wants workers to go back to their native.
“Whatever is the price that is required to be paid to hire a special train, the tourism industry stakeholders are ready to pay,” he said.
