The Maharashtra government has decided to allow migrant workers and other professionals and families to return to their home states, provided they or their respective governments make travel arrangements while the lockdown continues. The state has asked its counterparts to act fast on this.

According to government estimates, Maharashtra has the highest—nearly 6.5 lakh—number of migrant labourers, from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhad, Odisha and other states.