The Odisha government is gearing up to facilitate the return of over 5 lakh Odia labourers stuck in various states and putting them under mandatory 14-day quarantine.

The actual number of returnees is certain to be much higher than estimated. Nearly 5 lakh people desperate to return home registered on the online government portal developed for the purpose within the first 48 hours.

Sources said the number of home-bound labourers registering themselves could reach 10 lakh within the next few days. More than 40 lakh Odias are working in different parts of the country. On Monday evening, 228 Odias working in Gujarat had begun their homeward journey from Surat in four buses.

Former Union minister Srikant Jena said: “As per the Raghuram Rajan committee report, the highest number of labour migration takes place from Odisha. The number of people wishing to return home after the end of lockdown could cross 30 lakh. It’s a human issue. If the government does not make a long term plan to arrange shelter, food and even jobs for them, a chaotic situation may emerge.”

The first major challenge will be creating quarantine facilities with hygienic conditions and ensuring the maintenance of social distancing norms.

The state government has so far arranged 7,102 quarantine shelters for 2.27 lakh people.