NEW DELHI: The railways should provide trains as and when the state governments put in a request, the Supreme Court said today in a series of orders to help stranded migrant labourers, whose plight has become one of the abiding images of the 60-day countrywide lockdown to control coronavirus. The railways, the court also said, will have to arrange for food and water for the migrants as long as they are on the trains.

The states, the court said, will be in charge of overseeing the registration of migrant workers and ensure that they board a train or bus. They should also provide food and water to migrant workers who are stranded.

Migrant workers found walking home should immediately be taken to shelters and provided food and all facilities. Complete information should be publicised to all concerned," the three judge bench hearing the issue added.

The court also said that no fare for train or bus should be charged from the migrant workers. The fare will be shared by the states.

The court's intervention came amid a huge political battle between the Centre and a few opposition-ruled states. Maharashtra, which has an especially large number of migrants, has been locked in a tussle with the railway ministry since the weekend over the trains for migrants. While the state has accused the Centre of not making trains available, the Centre alleges it has the trains, but the state has not done its homework to provide passengers.