As many as 300 long-distance tourist buses and their drivers from Kerala ferrying migrant workers have been stranded for over a month in at least five Assam districts for “want of passengers and money” for the return trip.

The plight of the stranded bus drivers surviving with help from local people and organisations was reportedly brought to the notice of the Assam government on Monday, prompting the chief minister’s office and the police headquarters to activate the district administrations to assess the situation, extend all possible help and facilitate their return by ensuring Covid protocols.

Two helplines — 6026900943 and 0367-223562 — have also been launched for those stranded in Assam.

The problems for the bus drivers have been compounded after at least three of them tested positive for Covid-19 in Morigaon district and were put in institutional quarantine.

The buses had come to drop migrant workers from Assam and were supposed to return with another lot after a day or two but this wait became never-ending after the workers developed cold feet because of the alarming pandemic situation in both the states.

A chance encounter between Father Sheldon Fernandes of Guwahati and the stranded bus drivers in Nagaon district on May 13 led to him conveying their plight to senior church members in Assam, who in turn got in touch with their Kerala counterparts and also tried to help them.

Guwahati-based Father Tom Mangattuthazhe, director and secretary, North East Social Communication, was one of those who played a key role spreading the information about the stranded drivers.

One of the church members then moved Samir Sinha, principal secretary to the Assam chief minister, who in turn, activated the police and district administration.

Many skilled and unskilled workers from the Northeast prefer to move to Kerala for work because of decent wages and working conditions besides a migrant worker-friendly policy. Over 40,000 from Assam work in the southern state in sectors such as construction, hospitality and health.

Assam director-general of police B.J. Mahanta told The Telegraph that the superintendents of police have been directed to assess the requirement of the drivers and provide all possible relief till their safe return.

“Our SPs have been told to be good hosts. Our state government will facilitate their return in coordination with the Kerala administration. We have information about 94 buses in Nagaon and have called for details from all districts,” Mahanta said.

On Tuesday, Nagaon superintendent of police Anand Mishra met the drivers stranded in the district and assured them all help till they return. Television visuals showed one of the bus staff breaking down while narrating their plight. Consoling him, Mishra said they now have nothing to worry.

The stranded buses from Kerala

“We are trying to extend all possible help till their return. We have started Covid tests. We are also trying to get the toll tax waived on their return journey. We will also arrange some sort of special permits so they are not inconvenienced. They can return once they test negative and till then we will provide them with facilities they require,” Mishra said.

Fr Fernandes, 36, who is from Ernakulam district of Kerala and teaches at a school in Baihata, around 50km from Guwahati, said the buses have come from almost all districts of his home state and are stranded especially in Nagaon, Morigaon, Kamrup, Sonitpur and Darrang districts.

The distance between Kerala and Assam is around 3,500km and it takes about four days of “almost non-stop drive”, he said. One reason the drivers were not able to convey their plight was the “language barrier”, he added.

Fr Fernandes has been trying to help them with essentials along with other church members. On Wednesday, he visited the quarantine centre in Morigaon to meet the three bus drivers who tested positive.

The stranded Kerala bus drivers

“When I spoke to them, I came to know they are not able to return because there are no passengers and they have no money. They need anywhere between Rs 80,000 and Rs 1 lakh for the return trip. They can leave the buses here but they won’t do so because of their loyalty towards the owners. A tourist bus costs around Rs 50-55 lakh and there are around 300 stranded buses in Assam,” he said.

Fr Fernandes added: “They are physically and mentally affected because of the uncertain wait and the coronavirus situation back home where someone or the other in their family is affected. Now they are also testing positive here. The administration is helping from Tuesday.”

According to him, the migrant workers came home for a “ short holiday, elections and Id” which was celebrated on May 14. The three-phase elections in Assam were held between March 27 and April 6 with the counting on May 2. Kerala too had polls around the same time.

“The drivers were paid one-way fare. They agreed to the offer of the travel agencies because they were promised adequate passengers for the return trip but things didn’t work out as planned. The travel agency collects between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000 per passenger for the one-way trip. These drivers have come to Assam a couple of times before on similar arrangements with the travel agencies. The drivers tell me that some of the buses have left but there are still around 300 buses in Assam,” Fr Fernandes said.